


Journey to Asphodel

by Miss_Understood, whiskywrites



Series: διαδρομή [1]
Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic), Norse Religion & Lore
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Violence, Eventual Smut, Exile, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Love, Love Confessions, Minor Character Death, Misunderstandings, Personal Growth, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Smut, Therapy, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:00:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 42
Words: 68,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24409942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Understood/pseuds/Miss_Understood, https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiskywrites/pseuds/whiskywrites
Summary: It begins with a phone call,The number you have dialed is no longer is service, and we find out what lengths Hades will go to in order to find Persephone. What will he do to ensure she remains safe from Zeus’ wrath as the truth of her past comes into the light? Will she forgive him? Will he forgive her? How will they find a way back to each other?
Relationships: Demeter & Persephone (Lore Olympus), Eros & Persephone (Lore Olympus), Hades & Hecate (Lore Olympus), Hades & Zeus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Hades/Minthe (Lore Olympus), Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus), Thetis/Zeus (Lore Olympus)
Series: διαδρομή [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813660
Comments: 528
Kudos: 503





	1. The number you have dialed is no longer in service.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades makes a phone call. Internal screaming. Microearthquakes. Zeus being Zeus.

_**The number you have dialed is no longer in service.**_  
  
Cold fury washed over Hades as he set the phone down. He could feel the tremors releasing from his body and heard cracking glass as the micro earthquakes gently shook the house around him. He was vibrating with anger. _Calm down! Get your shit together!_ He thought to himself and tried to call her again, just to be sure.  
  
_**The number you have dialed is no longer in service.**_  
  
Hades began pacing the room to gather his thoughts.  
  
_Why is her phone disconnected?  
  
Is she ok?  
  
What did she do? It had to be an act of wrath— it had to be!  
  
Has she been using me?  
  
What did she do? How did I not know about this?  
  
Gods, is she ok? Where is she? Should I look for her?  
  
Am I angry or worried? Fuck! I don’t even know!_  
  
_How could she keep this from me? She did_ _ **something**_. _Right? She asked me to bring back mortals for her, to help her. Is that what she has been after this whole time? Was it all a ploy?_ _ **Did she hustle me again?**_  
  
_How could it be? She has always been so genuinely kind to everyone.  
  
Maybe she is the best actress of all. Goddess of False Affection. Goddess of Lies.  
  
Stop! She deserves the chance to say something.  
  
Is this why she was giving out coins on the beach? Why would she do that for a few mortal lives? I would know if it were more. No one can go on a killing spree without me hearing about it._  
  
“Demeter,” he said, suddenly realizing that he had to find The Goddess of the Harvest. He was about to call Hecate to get her number when he saw Zeus was calling, “Can this wait? I’ve got something I need to handle.”  
  
“Nope. We’ve got a serious situation on our hands. Twenty minutes. My office,” Zeus said ending the call.  
  
“Fuck! I don’t have time for this shit!” Hades growled to no one.  
  
Twenty minutes later he was on the top floor of Olympus Tower. Something serious had to be happening, he could feel the static electricity in the air lifting the hair on his arms as soon as the elevator doors opened. Thetis was looking triumphant behind her desk as Hades approached.  
  
“He’s waiting for you in the office, Big Blue,” she said walking to the door with hips swaying.  
  
“Don’t call me that, Thetis,” he said, allowing her to open the door for him. Zeus sat behind his desk looking grim and to Hades’ surprise, Thanatos and Minthe were huddled together in the corner. Minthe was looking worried and her ears were drooping, but her arms were crossed arrogantly and had a gleam in her eyes. Thanatos was sweating, his head and hands were heavily bandaged. He looked afraid.  
  
“What the fuck have you two done now?” Hades asked, taking a seat in the chair in front of Zeus’ desk.  
  
“Oh, it’s not what they’ve done,” Thetis said perky as ever and stood by the two in the corner bouncing in excitement.  
  
“That’s enough, Thetis!” Zeus snapped and she pouted for a moment before returning to her jubilant behavior. Hades knew she only acted this way when she was causing a disturbance.  
  
“What the fuck is going on?” Hades asked, already over the situation.  
  
“Do you know where Persephone is?” Zeus asked. Hades had not been expecting that.  
  
_What the fuck_! He thought to himself and said, “no, I was just trying to figure that out before you called me down here. What’s this got to do with Persephone?”  
  
“Did you know?” Zeus asked and shot Thetis a glare because she had started bouncing again.  
  
“Know what?” He said clicking his jaw, it always got stiff when he was angry. He could not decide who to be more pissed at: Zeus or Persephone. Now Zeus was winning.  
  
“That she leveled a village killing everyone?” Hades wasn’t expecting that and almost didn’t catch what Zeus said next: “I’m wondering because there seems to have been a coverup, and I imagine it’s pretty difficult to keep these numbers from reaching your attention. You seem to have some _connection_ with the Goddess, I want to know if you helped cover it up.”  
  
“That’s impossible, there is no way an act of wrath that large could go unnoticed,” Hades said with disbelief.  
  
“Exactly, which is why I was wondering if you're protecting her?” Zeus said.  
  
“I’m – not.” He said and his blood turned to ice, “but I will get to the bottom of this. I need to know everything you know.”  
  
Fifteen minutes later the tale was told, and Hades lit his second cigarette saying, “I need a drink.”  
  
“I told you she wasn’t _little-miss-perfect_ ,” Minthe said childishly. “But _no_ , you couldn’t see that she was using you. Gods, you're really something else.”  
  
“Minthe, I’ve had enough from you, you’re fired. Go home,” he said squashing out his cigarette and getting up and walking to the cabinet where Zeus kept his alcohol.  
  
“What? Why? I didn’t do anything wrong! She’s the one who’s been using you,” she protested stomping up behind him. He turned and grabbed her by the arm and pulled her from the office.  
  
“I told you before, our breakup had nothing to do with her! I said, if you want to keep your job you should prove it. Insulting me in front of my brother and your friends is not proving anything other than you’re a toxic fucking bitch. Now get the fuck out, we are done,” he said letting go of her arm.  
  
Minthe’s hand shot up and smacked him across the face hard, “you are pathetic! Some fucking king you are, asshole! You pride yourself on being the controller of all things dead, but you let some little pink bimbo fool you,” she smacked him again. “All it takes is big tits and you’re on your knees covering for the little bitch,” smack, “I hope she’s worth it. Fuck off, Hades!”  
  
Hades stood there accepting her smacks and internally agreed with everything she said. When she was done, huffing with anger and on the brink of tears Hades said, “don’t bother cleaning out your desk, I’ll have your things sent to you.”  
  
“You asshole!” Thetis shouted storming out of the office hugging Minthe walking her down the hall and out of Hades’ life. He pinched the bridge of his nose and returned to the office going directly for the alcohol.  
  
“Finally dropped the nymph baggage,” Zeus asked smugly.  
  
“A few days ago, actually. It feels good, you should give it a try,” he said looking for something worth drinking. “Do you have anything in here that isn’t for your fucking apple martinis?”  
  
“No! What is wrong with appletinis,” he asked aghast, and Hades rolled his eyes and poured himself a glass of vodka and returned to his seat.  
  
“Thanatos, do you have any additional information?” Hades asked, lighting another cigarette. _So much for self-improvement_. “Do we know when this happened? Numbers? How it was possible for Demeter to cover this up? Tell me where you started.”  
  
“Right—So it started when you denied me a r-raise.” Thanatos said looking nervous. “You were pissed about the numbers, but it did not make sense because I had been working my wings off. I even had to take the train to work that morning because of _wing fatigue_. I did a soul audit for February and saw that Hermes had five souls per week that had no cause of death. Then I checked January and the same thing: 20 souls with no cause of death. It goes all the way back to July. It was hard to spot since Hermes has only been working with us since last year, and one soul a day is not hard to hide. It was the cause-of-death metrics that tipped me off. I _think_ he has been slowly harvesting souls so no one notices.”  
  
“That means we could have shades on the loose in the mortal realm,” Hades said blankly. “I’ve got to go investigate the village. If there are shades running about, I need to get them to the Underworld. We need to find Persephone.”  
  
“I need you to keep this quiet for now. We can’t tip them off and allow them to close ranks,” Zeus said to Thanatos. “I’ll send someone discrete to look for Persephone, don’t go looking for her yourself.”  
  
“Yes, sir, I understand.” Thanatos said, “to be honest, I’m kind of scared of her now. I haven’t exactly been her best friend.”  
  
Hades glared at him, “you are afraid of a five-foot-tall pink goddess who makes _flowers_?”  
  
“No, I’m afraid of a 50-foot-tall wrathful ball of teenage angst with giant ass tree wings sprouting from her back carrying a scythe!”  
  
“Touché,” Hades said, tossing back the rest of his vodka, “If you see her, don’t piss her off.” He stood up and left the office, his mind screaming, _what am I going to do if I find her?_  
  
What will happen if I don’t find her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your comments and kudos. Let me know what you love and hate.


	2. Their Final King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades showing us some of his powers as the King of the Underworld. Cerberus is a Good Boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chiton: clothing of ancient Greece. The toga thing we have seen Hades wear. It is also worn by women at a longer length. (Women more often wore peplos, which was the same fabric but folded over on the top edge to give a skirted waistline. This is where the word peplum comes from.)
> 
> Himation: clothing of ancient Greece. The long cloak we saw Hades wearing in flashbacks and on the beach when he gave Persephone a tour.  
> The Greek I use in this chapter is done to the best of my ability with google translations and other searches to verify the proper usage. I included the translations within the text, hopefully in a noninvasive manner.
> 
> Hades POV

Hades arrived home and went straight upstairs to change into his mortal chiton and himation. He would not need the extra warmth of the cloak, but if he happened upon any mortals, they would certainly notice he was underdressed for the time of year. He went downstairs and called for Cerberus who came as soon as he was called.  
  
“Hey, boy, I’ve got an important job for you. Find Persephone, find her and bring her to me. Don’t let her get away, but don’t hurt her unless she hurts you. Minimal force. Got it?” Most people would think he is crazy for giving an order like that to a dog, but Cerberus was no ordinary dog. He had been his companion for almost 2000 years and was more intelligent than some of the younger gods he knew.  
  
Cerberus shifted into his three headed form and increased his size by 50%, showing Hades he understood.  
  
“Try not to scare her, she trusts you, but I think she may be unstable,” he said, patting him on the head and both God and Immortal Dog vanished from the room.  
  
Hades was on the top of a hill covered in rubble of broken marble and granite looking down on a beautiful meadow of wildflowers. In the far distance he could see the outline of Demeter’s property. He had considered going straight there but wanted to check out the site of the massacre before he spoke to anyone.  
  
In the center of the town was a large black pit where he could make out the charred remains of a large tree. It appeared that Thanatos had been right, at least about the tree. Still, he had to check. He summoned his bident and tapped it on the ground twice and felt it come to life in his hands with a vibration of power. He could see better now; his eyes would be emitting glowing white light if anyone were to see him. Demeter’s estate was clear now, he could see the gardens and even make out the individual roses on the bushes. Looking back at the hole he could see the shape of what was there before, he could see the shadows imprinted on the earth, he could see exactly what she had done. It was ruthless, disgusting, awe inspiring, and magnificent in its brutality. He could not see Kore doing this.  
  
“Συγκαλεΐσθε,” he spoke in the ancient tongue, calling any shades present to **assemble**. Slowly they began to emerge from the pit, climbing out of the charred remains. He looked around into the fields searching for signs of others but saw none. He waited and counted the souls as they gathered to him, bowing in reverence to their final king. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. Fifty. Fifty-five. Fifty-seven. Fifty-seven souls unclaimed plus the hundred-and-sixty smuggledinto the Underworld. _FUCK, Little Goddess, what did you do?_  
  
“αποκαλύπτω,” he said to the amassed souls, commanding them to **reveal** what happened here.  
  
They spoke together as one, voices uniting through the crowd as they unveiled their story. “She came, The Maiden, Kore – Kore—Kore,” they echoed, “she brought death—death. Bringer of Death, Persephone—Persephone—Persephone.” It was always worse to hear of death from those who had done the dying. These shades were angry, and sad, lonely with nowhere to go. He was amazed they had managed to keep from wreaking havoc already.  
  
When they had finished, he gave his final command, “Ακολουθηστε,” ordering them to **follow** him and he ripped a hole through the ground with his bident creating a temporary portal to the Underworld and walked through it. When they were all shepherded through, he closed the portal and banished his bident.  
  
“Welcome to the Underworld,” he said lamely to the crowd. “Those of you with an obol may proceed to the river's edge and wait for Charon to take you across. The rest of you, stay together, I’ll deal with you later.”  
  
Hades went up to his office and poured himself a glass of whiskey and lit a cigar. There were no updates from Zeus, Persephone’s phone was still disconnected, and Cerberus had not returned. He realized that he knew very little about her, the only friends he was aware she had were Hermes and Hecate. He doubted Hecate knew where she was, and there was always the horrible possibility that Hecate helped them cover Persephone’s crime.  
  
“Fuck!” He yelled again. Then returned to his inner thoughts. He felt like a fool, he had been played by a barely legal goddess with big tits and round ass. The worst part was, he did not know if he cared. He couldn’t help it, he loved her. He knew there was no going back from that, even if she had been using him the whole time. _How could she have? It all started when I found her in my backseat_. There was no way she could have arranged that. _She is in a perpetual state of wanting shit that is bad for her_. But enough to drink herself into a blackout and convince Eros and Aphrodite to smuggle her into his car. _Didn’t someone mention Eros was her friend?_ “Fuck!”  
  
Just then he felt himself being summoned. It was faint, at the very far edges of his perception, which was extremely odd. _Why would someone be summoning me from so far away_?, and then he realized it was Persephone. He let the summons pull him, grabbing his glass with his free hand as he disappeared from his office.  
  
“H-Hades! Cerberus won’t let me go!” She cried, tears running down her terrified face, she was on the ground pinned under Cerberus’ paw, weakly trying to free herself. Hades took another puff of his cigar. The dog had doubled in size since he left a few hours ago, he was roughly the size of a small bus with all three heads out and blunt nosed. He was not trying to intimidate her, if he had, his nose would be pointed.  
  
“Good boy, let her up now,” he said to Cerberus and crushed his cigar into the ground with his heel and bent over Persephone grabbing her by the arm, lifting her to her feet. “We need to talk, Little Goddess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your kudos and comments. Tell me what you love and hate.


	3. Run away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone deletes pictures and burns journals. Cerberus is a sad puppy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of this chapter mirrors the end of chapter 2. The change of POV brings a change is how this interaction is perceived. These overlaps are going to be repeated throughout my story. I think it's important that our characters are not always seeing what we are. Don't gloss over these areas, they are key to understanding that all our characters are flawed.

Persephone stood rooted on the spot crying in the middle of the shopping center until finally a thought occurred to her. She opened her phone up and deleted the pictures Apollo had sent her and walked around the corner to a phone store.  
  
Once she was done, she placed the unusable phone in her bag and left for her next stop. She knew it was silly, but there were pictures on it she wanted. Her and Artemis; her and Eros; that stupid selfie she taken with the portrait of Hades, and all of Hades’ dogs. She wanted to be able to look at those pictures for as long as she could.  
  
She returned to the Underworld and went to the bank to withdraw all the money she had made while working at Underworld Corp. On her way back to Artemis’ house she stopped by Hades’, but no one was home. She was sad she would not have a chance to say good-bye, but it was probably better this way. Now that she was here, she could not think of what she would say. _Hello Hades, I was just stopping by to say good-bye. I’m leaving and you will never see me again. I’m sorry, I can’t explain, there is too much to tell. Please take care of yourself. I care about you, but there is nothing left for me here. I am in so much trouble. I have made so many mistakes, but you were not one of them_.  
  
No, it was a good thing he was not home.  
  
At Artemis’ house she packed a small bag with all the things she had to take with her. She had all her money, her favorite journal, a change of clothes, and a few toiletries. She gathered the things she did not want anyone to read, mostly journals, and took them out back and burnt them. She did not want to leave behind her secrets for everyone to see.  
  
She thought about what she was doing and decided she would not tell anyone she was leaving. No good-byes, no chances someone would try and talk her out of it. Her life here was over anyway. She had two choices: watch her good friend, nearly her sister, dating the worst being in the realms and say nothing; or she could tell everyone what he did and have those pictures released. And then no one would believe her. Both of those options sucked. She wished she never met Apollo. She wished she had just commuted to Olympus like her mom wanted her too.  
  
Persephone wrote a letter to Artemis telling her that she was visiting her mother in the mortal realm, with any luck she would be long gone and already out of reach before anyone started asking where she was. She felt nauseous and heartbroken.  
  
She had a great morning with Hades, and last night was the greatest night of her life, and all they did was snuggle. _Gods, he smells so good_! She cried again, this time for Hades. She knew she should not care about him as much as she did. He was out of her league, thousands of years old, powerful, and handsome. He had always been so kind to her, and she knew he cared about her… but that did not mean they would have ever been more. Why would he want someone like her? She would make a lousy queen, and there was no point in falling in love with a king when you knew you should never have more than a fling. She was not interested in flings. She wanted all of him or none of him. Maybe, possibly it could have happened, but those pictures would ruin her. She knew it. Even if it were in a hundred years those pictures would surface and ruin her. The best thing she could do is get as far away from Olympus and Greece as she could.  
  
She was well on her way when the weather turned cold, she knew it got colder the further north you go, but she did not expect it to be this cold. She was in the mortal realm now--Olympus was a pocket world, it did not connect to where she was going. So, she flew until she found a small village and shifted into her mortal form and knocked on the door of the largest building hoping she would find help there.  
  
The people did not speak her language, or any language she knew so she named them that she needed warm clothes and showed them a handful of coins. They were foreign currency, but gold, silver, and copper were good anywhere you went.  
  
Once she was clothed in traditional Germanic dress and furs, she continued to head north. This was a strange place. She did not sense any magical beings here, and she knew that they did not have any proper gods or goddess. They worshiped haphazardly, pulling from other pantheons. She knew that some here probably worshipped the Olympians, and she hoped she would soon be far enough to be out of their influence.  
  
Around sunset she was exhausted from flying and decided to lay down and have a small nap before continuing. She had made it much further than she had expected today. Still her heart was aching, and she was filled with anxiety.  
  
Persephone dreamed of Hades and his dogs. Cerberus was whimpering and nudging her with his muzzle asking her to come home. She woke with a start when she felt a giant tongue on her face.  
  
“Arg!” She said wiping her face dry. “Cerberus! What are you doing all the way out here?”  
  
Cerberus looked at her with sad eyes and whined and nudged her again. She scratched his ears, “Oh, buddy, I have to go. I don’t know how much you understand about things, but I’m in a lot of trouble.” And she told the dog everything. Apollo, her name change, TGOEM, and failing at school. “See buddy, I’ve got nothing to give you or Hades. Everyone will be better if I’m gone.”  
  
Cerberus pulled on the bottom of her dress and walked a little way to the south and turned to look at her, circled back and repeated his tugging. His message was clear.  
“No, I’m not going to follow you. Go home, Hades will be wondering where you are. Go!”  
  
The dog grew bigger and repeated his attempts to lead her back. She continued to refuse and stood up and started walking north. Cerberus leapt over her and blocked her path and nudged her south. “Stop it! I’m going north! I’m going to the Norse Pantheon. There are gods there who can help me.”  
  
Persephone floated high into the air attempting to avoid him that way, but he grew bigger still and jumped into the air and grabbed her by the hem of her dress in his teeth and they both came crashing down to the ground. She could not breathe; she was winded from the fall and could not move. She struggled to breathe and to move and she could not. She tried to scream and could not. The pressure on her chest lifted slightly, and she was able to see again, the weight on her was one of Cerberus’ massive paws holding her to the ground.  
  
“L-let me up! Cerberus, stop!” But the dog did not listen, he just looked at her with sad eyes. No matter how hard she struggled she was not able to free herself. She did not even have the energy or strength to summon plants to help her escape. She had tried to create a leash with a vine and restrain him that way, but her magick would not come.  
  
Finally, after being pinned for what seemed an eternity, she patted the ground twice summoning the one person who she wanted to see more than anyone else, but also the last. He appeared a few moments later looking the same as he did this morning, but somehow different. He was smoking a cigar and had a glass of a dark amber liquor in it.  
  
“H-Hades, Cerberus won’t let me go!” Tears were running down her face.  
  
“Good boy let her up now,” Hades crushed his cigar into the ground and loomed over her grabbing her by the arm and lifting her to her feet. “We need to talk, Little Goddess.”  
  
“You're hurting me,” she said, struggling against his grip. She realized with sudden panic he was angry, this was not her Hades, this was the King of the Underworld, and she knew just how scary he could be. “Let go of my arm, I don’t like that!”  
  
“I don’t like being lied to, _Kore_. I’m going to let you go and you are going to tell me _exactly_ what you did, why you did it, and when it happened. Is that clear, _Persephone_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your kudos and comments. Tell me what you love and hate.


	4. I can see your half-truths now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades gets his answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: Implied sexual assault mentioned. I have not blocked it out but have included extra spacing around the area. It should have a low trigger risk to most readers. It is only one line of dialogue.

“Good boy let her up now,” Hades said and crushed his cigar into the ground with his heel and loomed over her grabbing her by the arm and lifting her to his feet. “We need to talk, Little Goddess.”  
  
“You’re hurting me,” she said, struggling against his fierce grip. She realized with sudden panic he was angry, this was not _her_ Hades, this was the King of the Underworld, and she knew just how scary he could be. “Let go of my arm, I don’t like that!”  
  
“I don’t like being lied to, _Kore_. I’m going to let you go and you are going to tell me _exactly_ what you did, why you did it, and when it happened. Is that clear, _Persephone_?”  
  
Hades let go of her arm and she rubbed it with her hand and turned away wiping tears from her eyes. She realized that he knew about what happened last summer. “Did you send him to find me?” She asked.  
  
“Yes,” he said, cracking his jaw.  
  
“He hurt me,” she said, still unable to face him.  
  
“You look undamaged,” he said in the same cool tone. “You're dressed oddly, even for mortal fashion. Where are you headed?”  
  
“The Norse Pantheon,” she said, turning around but staring down at the ground. She did not want to see him like this.  
  
“Norse?” He said, raising his eyebrow, “who were you seeking all the way up there?”  
  
“I was thinking Vidar, maybe. Silence and Revenge seems like something I could use right now,” she said, hugging her middle. Even in her furs she was cold now that it was getting dark.  
  
“That prick?” He asked.  
  
“I don’t actually know anyone there, it’s just a place I’ve always considered going to.” She said petulantly.  
  
“How long have you been planning to run?” He asked, still harsh and cold and Persephone’s heart was breaking to hear it.  
  
“I never really _planned_ it. I just always thought about leaving, ever since I was little, and Norse always seemed like the place to go. Egypt isn’t far enough. Rome is basically Olympus since half of the Gods pull double duty. Eastern deities scare me. And I can’t cross that much ocean without someone seeing me. So Norse is the only place for me to go.”  
  
“What could you possibly be running away from?”  
  
“My mother! She’s such a-a, she’s such a tyrant. It was like a prison. Controlling everything I do, nothing was ever good enough for her, I was never allowed to be alone for more than 5 _flipping_ minutes. You have no idea what it is like to have a mother like that!” She said and immediately winced at his angry laughter, even Cerberus whimpered.  
  
“Don’t I? Look at me Persephone,” he said, and she had to force herself to look at him. His eyes were red-rimmed and dilated in anger. She looked away quickly with tears falling freely. “You can’t even look at me... Well, I am sure Demeter was not a lenient mother, but I can promise you,” he clenched his jaw, hissing his exposed teeth, “ _I do know what it is like to have a tyrant for a parent and to be held prisoner by them. I spent twelve years alone, and I spent fifteen years in tight company of another without reprieve. I can tell you, Little Goddess, it’s a lot harder to be alone_.”  
  
“I’m sorry!” She shouted at him,holding his gaze and matching its anger, then she calmed, “I didn’t mean – I didn’t think!”  
  
“That’s fucking obvious,” he shouted back, “so what makes you think Vidar is the person to seek out?”  
  
“He’s the God of Silence and Revenge, I have a problem he might be able to help me with.” She said, sulking.  
  
  
  
  
“Do you know why he’s the God of Silence?” She shook her head, “because he’s great at making silence. He can take the words right out of your mouth. And he is a selfish prick who has no respect for anyone but his prick father. The only thing he will help you with is breaking your vow of celibacy as he silences your protests on your lips!”  
  
  
  
  
“STOP IT! _Don’t talk to me that way!_ ” She shouted and her eyes began to glow red in her loss of control and anger. “You’ve made your point; I AM just a stupid village girl. It doesn’t matter now anyway because you’re here to take me back to your brother. Either way I am ruined, so I don’t _flipping_ care! But! Don’t! Talk! To! Me! That! Way!” She shouted the last part emphasizing every word.  
  
“You're right, that was crass,” he said, calming down slightly. Persephone just hung her head and cried and shook with cold. It did not matter anymore. “You’re cold, take my jacket.”  
  
He handed her his jacket and she put it on, drowning in it like always. She chattered in defeat, “J-just t-t-take me b-back.”  
  
“I have to ask you some things first,” he said, closing his eyes. “Starting with: all of this between us… was it all just to get me to help you revive those mortals?”  
  
“NO! Gods, is that what you think of me?” She said and sank to the ground crying again and pulled up his jacket so that she was completely shielded from him.  
  
“I don’t know what to think, Kore! I can’t think when I’m around you!” He confessed wishing he had another cigar or more whiskey. “Why didn’t you tell me we met last summer?”  
  
Persephone kept herself cocooned in his jacket on the ground, “I didn’t actually know if you remembered or not. It was kind of embarrassing for both of us, I thought maybe you just didn’t want to mention it. But then you would say things sometimes that made me think you didn’t know. And how was I supposed to bring it up? _Hey, remember that time I was a butterfly and you scared me_?”  
  
“I didn’t remember I found out and I asked the Fates for the memory. I got it a little while after you left this morning.”  
  
“You're making me nervous,” she said.  
  
“I want my answers,” he said, crossing his arms.  
  
“I know, and I’ll tell you everything, but please sit down,” she said, peaking out slightly. “It’s just, you’re a very big god, and I’m a very little goddess. When you are looming over me it makes me scared of you. And I don’t like being scared of you.”  
  
Hades closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _Does she have any idea what she does to me_? He sat down on the ground facing her and keeping a few feet of space between them, “Better?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“You asked me if I could bring mortals back. You said that you were in trouble and that I was the only one who could help. You were insistent about working at Underworld Corp. You wander into Tartarus. You get mobbed on the beach because you were passing out coins to shades. You kiss me and then turn into butterflies and then I don’t hear from you for a couple days until you summon me to your bedroom.” He said counting off things on his fingers.  
  
“None of that is a question, where do you want me to start?” She asked, feeling miserable.  
“I don’t know because I don’t know what to believe from you. Are you going to tell me the truth? The whole of it, leaving nothing out.” He asked.  
  
“Yes,” she said, allowing the rest of her head to emerge from beneath his jacket. “I have two secrets that I will not share, and neither of them involve you, your kingdom, shades, anyone in your family, or my wrath. It is my private business, and I will not, cannot tell you.”  
  
“What were you doing in Tartarus? I have asked you more than once, and you have lied. I want the truth.”  
  
Persephone groaned and pulled her knees up and hid her face in her knees for a moment composing herself. “I went to your office that morning and Minthe said you were unavailable. She must have seen the tabloid, and I think she was jealous. I don’t think she meant to put me in danger, but she said if I wanted to see you, I would have to catch you on your rounds and that you should be in Tower 4.”  
  
Hades' eyes were nearly bulging out of his head and his irises were red again, “why didn’t you tell me? Don’t you think I should have known my girlfriend tried to kill my—”  
  
“Stop!” She said interrupting him from finishing, “I did not tell you because she may have done it to be malicious, but she didn’t know those skeletons would react like that around me. I didn't even know I was a fertility goddess, and how many people know that they would react that way around me? I am guessing she is not privy to that information. And as much as it hurts to say, I am not _your_ anything. I have been trying to figure out what we are. But we both know that when you take me back there is nothing left between us. I will be forced to take my oath of celibacy, married off to some awful god as a punishment, or worse – Prometheus doesn’t exactly have dating opportunities.”  
  
“Next question: Why were you so adamant about working for me? Was it just to get access to shades?”  
  
“No, I didn’t actually want to work for you. I thought you would find out I’m completely incompetent and think I was stupid and n-not like me. But I didn’t want Hera to think I was unable to handle myself, I’m tired of being treated like a child and I don’t like being failure.”  
  
“Why were you passing out coins on the beach?”  
  
“Because I wanted to pay for the mortals I killed. I knew I wouldn’t be able to find them all, but I thought it would even the scales if I paid for that many souls to cross the river. If I’d known they needed money to cross, I would have given it to them when I realized what happened.” She said.  
  
“Their bodies were burnt, Sweetness. That would not have worked. They had no physical form left to hold the money,” He told her softly. His anger was fading, and it was easier to talk to him now.  
  
“Oh,” she said, “I didn’t know that. My mother hides so much from me.”  
  
“It is not common knowledge,” he said. “Hard part, I know what you did. I collected the remaining shades, and I verified the story I was told. I _saw_ what you did, you do not have to describe what you did. I need to know everything up to the point of arriving at the village. What set you off?”  
  
She told him everything. What happened that morning and what set her off, “and once I shifted into my primal form, I could only see red. Literally, everything was tinted red. If I get a little angry and my eyes change color it doesn’t affect my vision, but the world was just shades of red. I couldn’t see the blood, I didn’t feel remorse, I didn’t hesitate. My mother came as quickly as she could, but she was too late. She was able to calm me down and then she cleaned me up and put me to bed. I slept for days. When I woke up, I didn’t remember any of it. But then I could not find some of the nymphs, and everyone was treating me funny. I didn’t know what happened for weeks. I didn’t find out until I overheard momma talking to someone about it. Then a few days later Hecate came to visit, and you showed up and I thought, maybe you could help me. You said you could not, and I believed you. Why would you lie? It’d just be easier to say no if it was something you didn’t want to do.”  
  
“Do you think Hecate knows?”  
  
“I don’t think so. Mom said it was important that no one say anything about it when she was there. Momma said that Hecate is a good friend, but her loyalty would always be with you. I got in so much trouble when she found out I visited you. She said I put everything at risk.”  
  
“Why did Hermes agree to help cover it up?”  
  
“I don’t know, not exactly. Momma said she _had it handled_ which is what she says when she has blackmailed or paid someone off,” she said sheepishly.  
  
“What are you not saying? You have tells, I can see your half-truths now.” He said lowering his head slightly to look her in the eyes. He was not being mean and cruel like earlier, but he was still using his authority voice.  
  
“I’m fairly certain he likes me. The way he treats me is different than most people treat me, he treats me a lot like how you do… but differently,” she said, feeling embarrassed.  
  
“I knew that, there is more.”  
  
“It’s not relevant, I swear.” He glared at her and his eyes flashed red. “Fine, but you asked for it! Hermes and I would make out a lot when I lived in the mortal realm.” She paused, “Is he going to get fired because of me?”  
  
“Not for making out with you, but yes.”  
  
“I don’t want him to get fired because of me.”  
  
“He collected more than a hundred souls over the course of months. He left souls in a mass funeral pyre to wait until he could secret them into the Underworld. He put lives in danger. I know the place is remote, but if mortals wandered there, they could have been killed. If you had gotten too close, they could have hurt you, very badly. To the point that you wished you could die, but you could not, so it would only get worse and worse, begging for a death that will not come,” Hades took a deep steading breath and continued. "I understand his compulsion to protect you, but that doesn’t excuse his actions. I’m taking you back now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your comments and kudos. Tell me what you love and hate.
> 
> Vidar is a Norse God with only one mention in recorded myths. This has allowed me to interpret his character as a villain.


	5. Charges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades charges Persephone with crimes against the Underworld. Cerberus takes Persephone's side. Hecate drinks.

Hades stood up and helped Persephone to her feet. “Hold on tight, we are far from home, it won’t be like last time,” he said and pulled her closer to him and willed his body back, reversing the summons.  
  
Summonses were a different type of travel than simply vanishing from one spot to another at will. They were compulsive, you could delay a summons but not for long. On the way you could focus your thoughts and change your appearance or clothing as necessary to accommodate for the situation. Reversing summons was different, you willed your body back to where you started. You could not go somewhere else, so when they returned to Hades office, they were behind his desk in nearly the exact same spot as he began. She was sitting on his desk and he was standing in front of her holding her tightly.  
  
Hades had a sudden urge to laugh, but fought it, because of the absurdity of his arousal of having her on this side of his desk. More times than he should have, he envisioned them at his desk like this, but under much different circumstances.  
  
His phone sounded from his jacket pocket multiple times in a row, letting him know that he had missed several calls and messages. He stepped away from Persephone to give her space and held his hand out for his phone since she was still wearing his jacket. She looked embarrassed as she pulled his phone out of the inner pocket and handed it to him, she was careful not to touch his hand. Of course, she would hate him now.  
  
17 Missed Calls  
10 Voicemails  
47 Text Messages  
  
All messages seemed to be to the same affect: Persephone is missing, and Demeter is losing her mind.  
  
Hades called the first person he could think of. “Where have you been? I swear to the gods Hades, if you are hiding Persephone, I will rip you apart.”  
  
“Hecate, I found her, I need you to get to my office immediately. She’s under arrest for crimes against the Underworld, and by morning crimes against Olympus and the Mortal Realm will be added.”  
  
“Hades? What is going on?” Hecate asked.  
  
“I will explain it all when you get here,” he said pinching the bridge of his nose and ending the call.  
  
Twenty minutes later Persephone was finally warm again. She had changed into warm dry clothes she had packed earlier that day and sat on the sofa with a warm blanket, Cerberus, and a heater pointed at her. Hades had not talked to her, had not even looked at her, he sat at his desk on his computer smoking a cigar and drinking whiskey.  
  
“I want to know what is happening right this fucking minute,” Hecate said storming into the office like a wrecking ball. She looked from Hades to Persephone and back again. “Answers now!”  
  
“It seems that Persephone was tipped off that her act of wrath was about to reach Zeus and she made a run for it. I sent Cerberus to find her while I went to the village in question and gathered the remaining shades and brought them to the beach. Cerberus trapped her and forced her to summon me, and now she is here,” Hades said calmly to his second in command who looked like she was just punched in the stomach.  
  
“Fuck.” She went over to pour herself a drink, which was a sign of her shock since Hecate did not often drink hard liquor. “All I heard was that Demeter went to visit her and she wasn’t there. Start from the beginning. I need details.”  
  
Hades went into an explanation of the events of the afternoon, leaving out that she was running away for another mysterious reason. He mentioned the trio going to Zeus, Hermes' role, and Demeter’s coverup.  
  
“So, as you can see, we need to keep Demeter in the dark about Persephone’s current whereabouts because she cannot know of the charges being brought against them until Monday morning. Hermes as well. He doesn’t work here tomorrow or Monday, so that shouldn’t be an issue. I’ve already restricted his access to most parts of the Underworld,” Hade explained.  
  
“Charges against Persephone will be?” Hecate asked and when Hades hesitated to look over at Persephone, Hecate went on, “since she’s already in custody she has the right to know.”  
  
“Conspiracy to withhold information of a shade-related crime; Conspiracy to prevent the collection of souls; Distribution of toll fares to shades serving their 100 year sentence on Acheron; using her position as an employee of Underworld Corp to gain access to restricted areas of the Underworld for her own purposes; and pissing me off.”  
  
“Are you purposely being lenient? I can think of about a dozen more charges to include,” she said and drained her glass.  
  
“I have decided not to charge her with any capital crimes,” Hades said.  
  
“And that’s why I’m taking her into my custody instead of her remaining in your charge?”  
  
“I don’t think it is appropriate for a prospective member of The Goddess of Eternal Maidenhood to be in the custody of a God. The last thing we need is Demeter claiming I’ve abducted her,” he said crushing out his cigar.  
  
“Agreed. I think it would be unwise to transport her in the open. I will return home and summon you, bring her with you. I do not want to risk removing the wards of my penthouse in case anyone takes advantage of the lowered defenses. Besides, it is a pain in the ass to put them back up, see you in twenty.”  
  
“Thank you,” Persephone said to him after Hecate left.  
  
“Don’t thank me yet, Little Goddess. The punishments to those crimes are still high, and I don’t know what Zeus has planned.” Hades walked over to where she was sitting and sat on the couch opposite her. “I understand you want me to be lenient on Hermes, what of your mother?”  
  
Persephone thought for a moment and he was surprised when her eyes glowed red for a moment before returning to normal, “I can’t answer that. On one hand, I love my mother and I don’t want to see her punished for something that I was the cause of. On the other hand, everything was made so much worse because of her attempts to conceal the truth.” She had held her hands out palms up indicating the tipping of the scales and ended with them equal.  
  
“Besides, I know it was wrong, but it allowed me two weeks away from her,” she laughed bitterly. “Two weeks of being on my own and I made a huge mess of everything.” It was heartbreaking to see her defeated. He knew that she had made many mistakes, but it did not change the fact that he cared about her.  
  
The silence stretched on for a while, and Hades could see that she was struggling with her emotions. She looked up at him and asked, “Will you try to do me one favor?”  
  
“I can try,” he said, and in his heart, he knew he’d do everything he could to protect her from the worst of Zeus’ wrath.  
  
“If Zeus tries to marry me off to Apollo I’d rather be thrown in Tartarus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your comments and kudos. Tell me what you love and hate.


	6. Punishments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demeter is charged and punished for her crimes. Persephone receives her punishment. We learn there is a mystery about Persephone's birth.

Monday morning came too soon. Hades was waiting inside of Zeus’ office for over 20 minutes when his brother came in a few minutes after 8:00. Zeus was looking grim as he sat down and spun around in his chair. “Ugh, what a fucking mess  
  
“You have no idea,” Hades agreed, already needing a drink. “Let’s discuss charges and punishments before they arrive.”  
  
“Sounds fucking fantastic,” Zeus said, and he rattled off charges and proposed punishments.  
  
“That’s impossible,” Hades said.  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Persephone is a Fertility Goddess. Minthe sent her to Tartarus as a joke on her first day of work and she was attacked by the dead who should have been in stasis. They awoke to her presence. Then she summoned a fucking forest in the place, keep in mind _nothing_ is supposed to live there, which nearly compromised the security of the whole fucking place. If I sent her there, it would be a fucking riot and half the inhabitants would escape and wreak havoc throughout the realms.” Hades explained, and Zeus looked horrified at the idea of Titans running loose.  
  
“Do you have a better idea?” Zeus asked and Hades responded with the best solution he could come up with. “That is not a fucking punishment, that’s a fucking reward. She’s got her claws in deep, my big blue idiot.”  
  
“Hear me out, we both know that Persephone had no control over what happened. Everyone freaks out the first time they phase, and to be honest 170 mortals is small compared to most. Everyone gets a slap on the wrist for their first wrath. You're pissed because of Demeter’s meddling and her constantly undermining your authority. Persephone had no way to resist her, we fucking know how much of controlling bitch Demeter is. Now imagine what she is like for her only child. A child that took her over 2000 years to have despite being a fertility goddess. Having little to no contact with her daughter will punish Demeter more than anything else we could do to her.”  
  
“When you say it like that, it makes sense. Lead with that next time,” Zeus said and smiled at the wickedness.  
  
Demeter arrived ten minutes early storming out of the elevator and scanning the hall as she made her way to Thetis’ desk. Hades hopped out of his seat in Zeus’ office to prevent Thetis from causing additional drama. That nymph thrived on discord, and today would be hard enough on Demeter. He nearly pitied her.  
  
“Have you found Kore? Where is she? Is she alright?” She asked, looking ragged and worried as Hades stepped out of the office looking grim.  
  
“Demeter, we should go sit down before we tell you what is going on,” Hades said gently and directed her down the hall.  
  
Once they were seated in the small conference room Zeus spoke, “Demeter, Persephone will be arriving shortly. You should know she is in custody for crimes against the Realms.”  
  
“Crimes! What has she done?” Demeter asked, turning a paler shade of green.  
  
“Let’s see,” Zeus said and opened the folder. “She committed an Act of Wrath without a permit; eluded capture; conspiracy to hide a crime against Olympus; conspiracy to hide a crime against the Mortal Realm; conspiracy to withhold information of a shade related crime; conspiracy to prevent the collection of souls; distribution of toll fares to shades serving their 100 year sentence on Acheron; using her position as an employee of Underworld Corp to gain access to restricted areas of the Underworld for her own purposes.” Zeus squinted at the bottom of the page and added, “Oh, and pissing off the King of the Underworld – Although that last one isn’t exactly a crime.”  
  
Demeter took a deep breath, bowed her head and whispered, “Oh, Kore, this is all my fault.” She looked up regaining her composure and faced Zeus and spoke boldly, “What are you charging me with?”  
  
“All the conspiracy charges; neglect of sacred resources resulting in the deaths of magical beings; and neglect and abuse of power over a Goddess in your charge,” Zeus said, lacing his finger together on his desk.  
  
“I have never neglected my child!” She protested, and her color returned to normal as her worry turned to anger.  
  
“Oh, _c’mon_ Demeter,” Zeus said in exasperation, “we know that she’s not actually your daughter. You did not conceive her, you created her, she is a _glorified nymph without a sacred resource_. That may not be common knowledge, and you still have not satisfactorily explained how you managed it, but it is true. _Besides_ , everyone knows that you kept her ignorant to the way the world is run, and as a result she did not have the tools or resources to defy your authority. You are a manipulative and controlling woman who is responsible for every single one of her crimes because of your neglect to educate her.”  
  
Hades was shocked at the revelations of Persephone’s origins but did his best not to show it. He could not help but wonder if Persephone knew the truth. It seemed like something Demeter would hide from her own child. With that revelation, he decided to stop feeling pity for her. She was going to deserve everything she got and added, “You also neglected to tell your daughter that she is a Fertility Goddess which placed her in danger multiple times in the last two weeks. You should have informed her of the inherent dangers and educated her on how to better protect herself.”  
  
“So, it’s now a royal mandate how I should raise a child?” She seethed.  
  
“In this case, yes, you have failed in your role as guardian. If she were underage, I would remove her from your care,” Zeus said. “Now I’d like to hear your statement regarding your crimes.”  
  
Two hours later the Kings were back in Zeus’ office discussing changes to the punishments, while Demeter and Persephone were reunited for what would be their last meeting for a long time. After the Goddesses had twenty minutes together Hades and Zeus entered the conference room. Both Goddesses were tear-streaked and looking scared. Hades hated seeing Persephone like this, he hoped he had done the right thing.  
  
“Demeter, we will begin with your sentencing. You will serve as an attendant in the Court of Judgement to the remaining unjudged souls in place of Persephone. You will reforest the land where the village stood. You are banned from planting sacred resources for fifty years. You are permanently banned from creating another Goddess. If you choose to have more children you must conceive through traditional means. And 50% of your offerings will be given to charitable organizations. Failure to comply with any of these will result in additional fees. Do you understand?”  
  
“Yes, Your Majesty, you are gracious in your sentencing,” she said looking relieved.  
  
“Persephone, we have taken into consideration your age and your limited exposure to the laws of the Realms. All of your crimes against Olympus and the Mortal Realm have been dropped because I do not believe you felt you had a choice but to comply with your mother’s authority,” Zeus said, and both Goddesses breathed sighs of relief.  
  
Just then there was a puff of purple smoke above the table and a raven feather floated down landing on the table. Demeter went pale again, and Persephone squeaked in fright. Zeus took the feather and examined it and turned to Hades, “Do you think she just has great timing, or she worked a spell to make it more dramatic?”  
  
Hades gave his brother a sideways glance and took a deep breath before speaking directly to Persephone, “Persephone, your crimes against the Underworld, specifically the distribution of toll fares and using your position as an employee to gain access to restricted areas of the Underworld are another matter. Those crimes are serious and entirely your own.”  
  
“You do not have enough of your own money to pay fines, to levy fines would only be a punishment to Demeter. You will not be allowed to work off your crimes with community service because of the dangers the Underworld poses to you as a fertility goddess and I would not be able to assure your safety. You have confessed to myself and to others that you have had difficulty controlling your powers, this is likely because you have been isolated and Demeter has knowingly withheld the true nature of your powers from you. You cannot control something you do not understand.”  
  
Persephone was silently crying and Hades felt a twisting in his gut and a lump in his throat and cleared it with a muffled cough, “I am sentencing you to serve 100 years in the Norse Pantheon under the tutelage of Freya. Freya is an old friend of the 6 traitors and a fertility goddess with a fair amount of plant magick. She is also a warrior and the leader of one of the Heavenly Realms, which is part of their mortal afterlife structure. You will spend the next century learning from her and gaining control of your powers. You will be given 1 week a year to visit with your mother or any other person you wish to see. During that time, you will be within the parole of the Furies, they will also be taking custody of you immediately following this meeting. You will leave first thing tomorrow morning.”  
  
Demeter and Persephone were holding each other crying. Even Zeus looked unsettled and was blinking rapidly at the pain they were in. Hades felt sick with grief, and worst of all, it was his idea. He hoped that he was doing the right thing for her, even if it hurt both Persephone and himself to do it. “We will give you two time to say good-bye, take as long as you need.”  
  
Zeus and Hades rose from their seats and left the room closing the door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a doozy. I know that many of you will not be happy with this. I promise that there will still be plenty of interactions between Hades and Persephone.  
> I live for your comments and kudos. Tell me what you love and hate.


	7. Good-Byes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone's world has been turned upside down. Hades explains why he is sending her away.

Hades did not return to his office after the meetings. He took the rest of the day off and spent time with the dogs--he had neglected them a lot lately. He was on the floor and let them pile on top of him while he laid down and played fetch. Cerberus had been giving him the cold shoulder since he took Persephone to Hecate, and Hades could not blame him. He would give himself the cold shoulder if he could.  
  
Hades was lost in thought and realized he was aimlessly tossing the ball in the air and catching it when a small pink butterfly of light fluttered into his view. He sat up and threw the ball for the dogs to go after and held out his hand and the butterfly landed on it.  
  
“I need to talk to you,” the butterfly spoke in a distorted echo of Persephone’s voice and turned into a pink rose petal.  
  
Hades got up and drove to the Furies house and knocked on the door. Alecto answered and showed him in. “I’m here to speak to Persephone,” he said, and Alecto rolled her eyes.  
  
“I will be outside throwing knives or something. Tis and Meg are securing safe transport as you requested. We leave at dawn. She’s in the last room on the right,” she said and punched him in the arm affectionately before leaving.  
  
Hades knocked on the door and entered with permission to find the room empty. There was a bed, a desk, and nothing else. For a minute he thought she had made a run for it until he heard laughing and looked up to see Persephone sitting criss-cross and upside down on the ceiling in the corner.  
  
“What are you doing up there?” He asked, unable to keep from smiling up at her. White petals were softly falling from her hair to the floor.  
  
“Trying to see the world from a different point of view,” she said. “You should try it sometime.”  
  
“I can try to try right now,” he said and walked over, attempted to float upside down, and only caused her to laugh at him. “How’d you do it?”  
  
“I was on the floor like this and I closed my eyes and thought, _wow, my world has flipped upside down_. And when I opened my eyes I was here. Maybe you should try closing your eyes and imagining what you think it would be like.” She suggested and he followed her directions, “Oh, good try. You almost got it! Your hair looks funny though.”  
  
“I’m upside down, of course, my hair looks funny.” He said and found himself standing on the ceiling upside down. He sat down a few feet away from her mirroring her criss-cross position.  
  
“Close your eyes again, come on, do it. Ok, now take a deep breath, and make the decision to accept that you are a god who can fly, and you are not subject to gravity. See!”  
  
Hades opened his eyes again and his tie was no longer hanging in his face but resting flat against his chest. “Well, my tie is better, how’s my hair?”  
  
“Still messed up, but you did just make a very undignified cart-wheel thing. Here I can fix it,” she said and scooted across the ceiling, so she was sitting in front of him with her knees touching and reached up and patted his hair into order. “Perfectly sufficient.”  
  
“You seem—happy, are you ok?” He asked.  
  
“I don’t like the 100 years part. That seems like a really long time to me,” she said, and he saw that tears were welling in her eyes. He wondered if they would fall up or down. “I’m going to miss my friends and my mother. _I’m going to miss you._ I don’t know if I will ever forgive you for this.”  
  
“I know,” he said, feeling miserable. He hated hurting her, “I’m sorry, but do you understand what I did for you?” He asked he did not even want to admit to himself all the implications of his decision. He was pushing her away, trying to give her what she needed, what she had asked for when she ran away. At least she would be safe if Freya.  
  
“Was it hard to convince your brother?” She asked, and he wondered if she was avoiding answering his question. Petals were still falling from her hair and he realized that he had not noticed the way her hair would bloom over the last couple days. It was one of the things he had found endearing. The way he could always tell where she had been by the scattering of petals that marked her location.  
  
“At first, but then I explained that it was designed to be harder on your mother than you,” he said, and closed his eyes and made a confession, “I could have dropped those charges and you would have gotten off without any punishment.”  
  
“Why didn’t you?” She asked, her tone was not accusing or upset, she was curious.  
  
He opened his eyes and he hoped to Gaia that they were his normal blue and not red. “You obviously feel guilty for what you did. I think this will help relieve that. If you feel punished, you will be able to forgive yourself. But more importantly, you said you have two secrets that you will not share with me. You need to get away from something or someone.”  
  
He took another deep breath, “Again you wound me by risking your own safety instead of asking me for help. Gods help me, and I hope you can forgive me for making decisions on your behalf without your consent, but _I am helping you_. Even if that means sending you away from me, your mother, and whatever it is you were running from.”  
  
“You wanted to go to the Norse Pantheon, so I’m sending you there. Freya will be able to help you with whatever you need. If you want to learn about being a nature-based fertility goddess, she is one. If you want to learn how to fight, she is a warrior. If you want to get a traditional education, they have a great university. And most of all, her realm is safe. You will be safe.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Fólkvangr is an afterlife realm for warriors, she only chooses the most virtuous. Odin takes the fierce and brave, and Freya takes those who led humble lives but died by the sword. It is a giant garden, the spirits, _that’s what they call shades_ , work the fields mostly. I think, _I hope_ it’s everything you need right now.”  
  
She shook her head, “That’s not what I asked. Why would you give me what I want instead of punishing me?”  
  
“Do you not know?” The blood thrummed in his ears and Hades wondered if it was from being upside down or if it was because of what he would say next.  
  
“Know what, Hades?” She asked and he saw that her tears fell up, or rather down to the floor above them.  
  
“I’m in love with you, Persephone,” he said and closed his eyes so that he would not see whatever showed on her face.  
  
“Then why are you sending me away?"  
  
“You are young, and you have been lied to your whole life. Your mother is not going to teach you about yourself, nor do I think she will give you the freedom you need to discover it for yourself. And as much as I would like you to be here and be with me, that is not fair for you,” he said, and to his utter surprise he felt her climb onto his lap and he opened his eyes and looked down at her. She was still sitting criss-cross but on his lap, facing him with her head against his chest and her arms around his middle.  
  
He put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. They were silent for a long time just holding each other like two pretzels when it suddenly occurred to him that – “Hades?” She asked and he hummed in response, “Are you aware that Eros is my best friend?”  
  
“I heard he was a friend, but not your best friend. Why do you ask?”  
  
“Well, since he and I are on opposite sides of the spectrum on things, he’s been attempting to embarrass me by means of education… not the point. The point is, I think we are sitting in a tantric position—well almost, and I just wanted to check in and make sure you’re— _comfortable_.”  
  
He huffed a small laugh, “Little Goddess, that thought had just occurred to me too. I’m comfortable if you’re comfortable.”  
  
“I’m comfortable, I think I want to sit properly though.” She said quietly. Hades thought logistics for a moment and hovered a pillow from the bed to them and folded it in half and placed it under her bottom and she uncurled so that her legs were around his waist.  
  
“So, everyone stays comfortable,” he explained when she looked a little confused. They continued to hold each other quietly, occasionally he gave her small kisses on the top of her head. She pressed her forehead to his chest occasionally looking up at him giving him the opportunity to kiss her forehead. “Still ok?”  
  
“Yes,” she croaked and cleared her throat, he couldn’t see her face, but he knew she was crying.  
  
“Do you want to talk about why you are crying?” He asked. He was no expert at tantric intimacy or sex. He was more fuck you senseless pinned against the wall kind of being, but he did know that you ask questions differently. He gave her a simple out if she wanted it, whereas if he had asked, _why are you crying_? she may feel obligated to answer.  
  
“It’s just, I want you to know that this is the only kind of intimacy I can give you, and it means a lot to me.”  
  
“It means a lot to me too.” Hades was no stranger to crying, you do not live through what he had lived through without understanding how powerful crying can be. He was completely caught up in the moment and wept softly with her.  
  
“Please don’t cry,” Persephone said.  
  
“Shh, it’s ok, we are just sharing the moment,” he kissed the top of her head again. They let the silence stretch. They could have been up there for minutes or hours, it was impossible to tell. More importantly, it did not matter. It did not even matter to him that he told her he loved her, and she had not said it back. Because she did not need words to tell him that she loved him. She had needed to hear them, and he was glad he had said it.  
  
“I don’t expect you to wait for me,” she said.  
  
“I don’t expect you to wait for me either,” he echoed.  
  
“A hundred years is a long time, I might fall in love with someone else there, or still choose to take my vows, I don’t know what will happen,” she confessed.  
  
“I know, I understood the risks,” he said.  
  
“Do phones or email work across the borders?” She asked.  
  
“No, and the only communications are magical. That is what the feather was, it was Freya’s response. She’s got these awesome magical ravens and their feathers have really cool powers.” He said and Persephone giggled. “What?”  
  
“You, you’re totally jealous of her birds.”  
  
“ _Birds_? Would you call Cerberus just a _dog_?” He asked, leaning back slightly to look at her better.  
  
“He is a dog!” She said, smiling.  
  
“Oh, Sweetness, Cerberus is more than just a dog. _He’s a very good dog_.” They both laughed.  
  
“Can you send messages?”  
  
“No, Hecate sent the message,” he said sadly. “I have made arrangements for you to get monthly mailings.”  
  
They let the silence stretch again until Persephone spoke, “please stay with me tonight.”  
  
Rubbing her back and swallowing a lump in his throat he said, “Yes,” he cleared his throat again, “but please understand that I can’t watch you go. I will leave before you wake up.”  
  
“I understand. I’m tired, how do you think we get down?”  
  
“You’re the expert,” he said laughing nervously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your comments and kudos. Tell me what you love and hate.


	8. God of Keep Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone gets an unexpected visitor.

Persephone loved Fólkvangr, more than that she loved Freya and most of the beings she had met. The Valkyrie reminded her of the Furies in a lot of ways, except there were a lot more of them. She had met fifteen and each of them were astounding. They were fierce, but merciful. Loud, chaotic, and completely unpredictable. Yet they were also the friendliest creatures she had ever met. They were some of the few Gods who could fly here. For some reason, the Gods did not have flight, and as soon as she reached the Norse borders, she was unable to fly. It did not bother her because she had only recently learned how to fly.  
  
She had already learned so much from Freya, who was everything Hades had promised and more. Freya never made her feel foolish or naïve, in fact she had made it her mission to educate Persephone on as much as possible. Her first weeks were a whirlwind of knowledge about what it means to be a fertility goddess.  
  
“Little One, it is important that you know who you are. You cannot protect yourself if you don’t understand how your powers work. Every single fertility goddess is in constant danger from a man’s lust. You appear to have a good grasp of your powers of plants, but I will help you learn to heal and teach you how to use your powers of sex.” Freya had said on their first training session.  
  
“What do you mean, _danger from a man’s lust_?” Persephone had asked, folding in on herself.  
  
Freya eyed her suspiciously, “I think you know exactly what I mean. This is a safe space, when you are ready to talk about it, I am here for you. The only question I need you to answer now is: Was it one of your kings?”  
  
“N-no, but—” Persephone said, stumbling over her question, “does that mean it was my fault? Was it something I did?”  
  
Freya’s eyes turned completely black, flaring with emotion, “ **No**! Men are completely capable of controlling their lust. Even if you are drowning them in pheromones, a real man will never take advantage of you. But weak men or cruel men will always prey upon those he finds weaker than himself.” She took a deep breath steading herself until her eyes returned to their normal color of purple.  
  
“So how do I keep myself safe,” she asked, getting to the heart of the matter.  
  
“You learn how to use your nose, Little One,” Freya said, and began a lecture on pheromones. It turns out that every creature has pheromones, but fertility gods and goddesses can control their scent to attract partners. “First I will teach you what happens to the weaker sex when you’re turned on.”  
  
By the time summer semester began she was already able to detect when someone was attracted to her, as well as when that attraction had turned into lustful thoughts because the smell would get stronger. Sometimes the smells were intoxicating while others it was downright acrid. She had an explanation to why Apollo smelled like burnt hair sometimes-- it was because his lust for her was obsessive and dangerous in nature.  
  
  
  
  


Summer Semester had just ended, and she was looking forward to getting her next delivery from Olympus. She wondered who would be visiting her this month. She had been visited by Hermes, Eros, and all three of the Furies on different occasions. The older two Furies did not really visit with her, opting to hang out with the Valkyrie instead. Meg had visited with her for her day of rest before making the trip home. According to Eros the trip took three days each way, which had surprised her because her journey had only taken twelve hours, which seemed long enough.  
  
“Well, Persie darling, you didn’t expect Alecto to carry you the whole way? Chariots are so old fashioned though, no one really uses them for travel anymore. Hades is the only one I know of who still owns one for travel, not that he does travel – talk about a workaholic. I think he just likes to have people come to him and ask for his help if they need to go to another pantheon.” Eros had said as they walked through the great house to her rooms. He smirked and gave her a side eye, “speaking of Hades, your boyfriend sent a letter this month.”  
  
Persephone blushed, “he’s not my boyfriend and you know it. Besides, I will be here 100 years. A long-distance relationship would never work.”  
  
“Does that mean you don’t want the letter,” he asked, pulling it from his bag and holding it out to her. When she went to grab it, still blushing, he held it up higher out of her reach. “Because what I just heard is that you’re not interested in reading it.”  
  
“You’re impossible, give it to me before I make you!” She said trying to climb up his side to reach it.  
  
“Ah-ah-ah, little monkey, I’ve got more than a dozen little siblings,” he said, moving the letter to his other hand. “Not only am I the God of Love, but I am also the God of Keep Away!”  
  
“You think so,” she said defiantly, and stopped trying to climb him.  
  
“I know so,” Eros told her with a smug grin.  
  
Taking a page from her mother’s book, she made vines grow from her feet and wrapped them around Eros. They twined up his body and arms trapping him in place. Then she used the vines as foot holds to climb up him and snatch the letter from his frozen hand.  
  
“You little tart,” he said affectionately.  
  
She smirked at him and then asked, “speaking of being separated from the person you care about, any news on Psyche?”  
  
“Nothing, mom won’t tell me anything,” he said, as they reached her room. Eros immediately flopped down on the bed. “I have a problem though.”  
  
Persephone laid down on the bed next and propped her head on her elbow to look at him, “what’s wrong?”  
  
“Well you remember my mom’s assistant, Ampelus?” He asked, and Persephone nodded, “well, I’m having feelings for her and it makes me feel so confused. We have been spending a lot of time together recently, and my feelings are only getting stronger.”  
  
“And you're feeling guilty because of Psyche?” Persephone offered in explanation.  
  
Eros nodded, “and the worst part is that I like her because she _reminds me_ of Psyche. And if things could possibly be worse, I can tell she likes me too. I don’t want to hurt her, and I feel guilty about liking someone else when the woman I love is missing.”  
  
“Have you tried explaining this to Ampelus? I know I don’t have much experience with this stuff, but I do know that it feels good to speak and hear the truth. Just because you can tell she likes you, does not mean that she can tell you like her. It might hurt her at first to know that you are determined to be with Psyche, but it will give her the opportunity to accept and heal.”  
  
Eros turned onto his side and gave her a smug look, “and the student becomes the master. How’d you get to be such a wise little cinnamon roll?”  
  
“I had a good teacher,” she said, and bopped him on the head. “But really, I guess from experience. I feel so messed up sometimes about Hades sending me here because I know he cares about me, but he sent me away.”  
  
“Well he’s a fool,” Eros said.  
  
“Eros, I need to tell you something,” she said, curled up next to him and whispered. “He told me he loved me.”  
  
“What?” Eros said sitting up so quickly that Persephone was flung out of the bed. “Oh, shit, sorry! You can’t surprise me like that!” He rolled over and helped her up. “I need details.”  
  
Persephone explained everything that had happened in better detail than she had been able to put in her letters to him. She did not want to risk it falling into the wrong hands. Even Hades' letters to her had been carefully worded. Saying things like _Cerberus really misses you, he has been increasingly grumpy to people lately_. Or, _Everyone I know who loves you is very upset with me_.  
  
“I still don’t understand why he would send me away. I know that this is where I was headed when he found me… and I love it here. Did he do it because he wanted me to be happy? Shouldn’t he have asked me if this was what I wanted? I just don’t know what I’m supposed to feel. 100 years is a long time.”  
  
“You're missing something very obvious,” Eros said, raising his eyebrow in anticipation of the bomb he was waiting to drop. “He sent you to a world of eternal spring for 100 years, a place that just so happens to be an afterlife realm. Don’t you see what he’s done?”  
  
“Sending me to paradise, a place that is the exact opposite of his kingdom, he’s giving me what he can’t,” she said, exasperated. She had thought about this a lot since she had arrived and realized just how amazing this place is. “It is never dark here. The light grows dim in the evening, but it’s never dark. His life is darkness, and now my world is endless light.”  
  
“Persie, sweetie, you are not seeing what is right in front of your face,” he said and kissed her on the head. “He’s sent you here because when it’s all over he wants to make you his queen.”  
  
Persephone fell off the bed again, this time from her own shock.  
  
  
  
  


Persephone had thought about her visit with Eros a lot, and she hoped that he would be the one to show up again this month. She had friends here, but none of them knew Hades like Eros did. It was true that Freya had known Hades since the Titanomachy, but she did not feel comfortable talking to her about this. Afterall, she had no idea what type of relationship they may or may not have had. They both seemed to speak of each other with affection. If they had been in a relationship, or worse, in love but unable to be together – _Gods, don’t even think about that_ – No, this was something she could not talk to Freya about.  
  
She had spent the morning in her rooms looking over the course listing for Fall Semester and had finally realized she was hungry and headed downstairs to grab a bite to eat. As Persephone passed Freya’s office, she heard her say, “Little One, is that you?”  
  
“Yes, I’m just heading to get some lunch,” she responded, without looking into the partially opened door.  
  
“Mind if I join you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your comments and kudos. Tell me what you love and hate.


	9. Three Day Weekend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades takes a three day weekend.
> 
> This is a short one.

Hades had wondered every day if he had made the right decision. Usually he decided he was an idiot and a masochist. He would repeatedly torture himself thinking about the kiss they had shared in the rain on her birthday, or the two nights he had been able to hold her. She smelled like vanilla and fresh cut grass; he would find himself distracted every time he was in Olympus and someone was mowing their lawn. **_Get your shit together_** , was his new mantra and he repeated it every time he thought about her.  
  
The distance between Asgard in the Norse Region and the Olympus Region made any communication difficult. There were magical means to communicate, but Hecate was one of the few in Olympus who could send messages that distance. Her craft also did not allow for private messages. She was able to astral project to relay messages, and obviously that did not make for a suitable way to speak to Persephone. He arranged for monthly deliveries consisting of letters and parcels from anyone who wanted to stay in contact with her. It was not practical to send them more often because it took a week for winged gods to make the round trip. Although he had fired Hermes from Underground Corp, he was the first to make the trip along with Eros and each of the Furies. In September no one was able to make the journey. Thanatos had refused even after Hades offered him a sizable bonus. He wondered if the God of Death was still frightened of her or just too lazy.  
  
Therefore, after a long day of work on Thursday, Hades found himself taking his first ever three-day weekend. He would be travelling in his chariot pulled by his four best pegasi who would be flying. Together the horses would make the travel significantly shorter. Instead of three days, he would be able to make it in twelve hours, giving him almost two days to visit with Persephone and Freya.  
  
It had been centuries since he had taken his chariot anywhere, and it was strange to fly this way after so long. Not only did the horses make his travel quicker, but it was the only way to reach Asgard. Once he left his domain of worship his ability to fly would cease to work. He would have to travel hundreds of miles over land and cross the water by boat; it would take weeks to get there.  
  
Hades arrived in Asgard Friday morning and made an official visit to Odin in Valhalla. Odin was an ass, but he was still a good friend. One of the things that Hades appreciated about the Norse Gods was that they did not treat their afterlife regions as distasteful. Not only was Odin the King of the Gods here, but he also lived in one of the five afterlife territories making him not only Zeus’ equal, but Hades equal as well.  
  
“Aidoneus! Old friend, I was pleased to hear of your visit,” Odin greeted, taking Hades arm in the odd way that the Norse people shook hands. “Your Goddess friend has been a delight to us all. We may just keep her forever.”  
  
“Salutations,” Hades gave Odin a nervous smile, that had always been a fear of his, “I am glad Persephone has been well received.”  
  
“Well received? Ha! Most of the men and many of the women are besotted with her. She is turning out to be a fierce warrior, she took her first kill just last week, it was glorious!” Odin said, surprising Hades.  
  
“Kill? Who did she kill?” Hades asked.  
  
“Some poachers,” Odin said, dismissively. “They had killed a doe that mothered a sacred fawn. She hunted down two of the three before her Olympian predilections kicked in. We caught the third and brought him to her to finish the job.”  
  
“Did she?” Hades asked, he was curious. He knew she was capable of wrath, but this seemed out of character.  
  
“No,” Odin answered with a shrug. “She tried to pardon him; her heart is gentle. The Valkyrie, Hilda, had the privilege. Persephone was quite mad at me for not honoring her pardon.”  
  
Hades cleared his throat, “I don’t mean to intervene on your authority, but the main purpose in sending her here is to learn to control her wrath.”  
  
Odin laughed hardily, “oh, Aidoneus, you sent her to the wrong place then. You know we Norse love wrathful bloodshed! Freya said you would not approve. Talk to her, but first join me for a drink. Your Greek whiskey is nothing compared to the fine stuff we make here in the North.”  
  
The gods enjoyed their drinks even though it was barely 10:00 in the morning and discussed other matters of state. It had been nearly 1000 years since Hades had been in Asgard, and that was discussing the possibility of expanding the Underworld by creating the Mourning Fields which is where he sent the shades who did not have enough skill to perform entry-level jobs.  
  
When he made his way to Fólkvangr he was nearly drunk and smiling widely in anticipation of seeing Persephone. He hoped she would be surprised to see him. He hoped he had made the right decision on travelling all this way. More than anything, he hoped he had not made a mistake sending her here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your comments and kudos. Tell me what you love and hate.


	10. Cookies (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades smells cookies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has an overlap with chapter 11. Don't skim over the repeats, they highlight how different people see things differently.

Persephone was headed downstairs to eat when she passed Freya’s office and heard her mentor say, “Little One, is that you?”  
  
“Yes, I’m just heading to get some lunch,” she responded, without looking into the partially opened door.  
  
“Mind if I join you?” Asked the last person she expected to hear, instantly her pulse quickened, and she felt butterflies erupt from her skin. The door opened completely and there stood Hades dressed in the second most casual thing she had seen him wearing: dark denim jeans, a charcoal sweater, and a simple suit jacket unbuttoned. In other words, he looked hot.  
  
“Hades!” She shouted and flung herself at him wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug without considering the impropriety of it. He hesitated for a moment before putting his arms around her and hugged tightly. “What are you doing here?”  
  
“I brought your mail, no one else could make it this month,” he said and leaned his head back a little to look at her. He was smiling widely and his dimple was displayed to full advantage. She could feel her own smile wide and bright. “I decided to take one of those three-day weekends you’ve talked about.”  
  
Freya cleared her throat standing a few feet behind them and Hades blushed a dark blue and lowered Persephone to the floor. Persephone nervously brushed her hair out of her face, which she had been wearing long for a few days. “Why don’t you show King Aidoneus to the dining room? You may have the afternoon off from our lessons if you want, but you still need to do your training with Hilda tonight. She has already prepared.”  
  
“Y-yes, of course, thank you,” Persephone said, still unable to stop smiling. “I will work extra hard on Monday.”  
  
“I’m sure you will. Be sure you continue to practice over the weekend though. I think you will find practical application beneficial. We will discuss your progress Monday,” Freya said, with a smirk and tapping her own nose. If it were possible for a blush to blush, Persephone would have pulled it off. Their current lessons had been controlling her own pheromones so that she would not be unintentionally influencing others.  
  
Persephone bit her bottom lip, feeling uncomfortable, “I will, thank you.” She looked up at Hades who was smiling down at her with his back turned to Freya and had no idea of the exchange happening between the goddesses. She laced her fingers into his and started walking away pulling him along, “I haven’t eaten all day, let’s go eat.”  
  
“Sounds perfect, my breakfast consisted of whiskey with Odin, and then mead with Freya,” he said squeezing her hand as he fell in step with her.  
  
“Was it the dandelion mead?” she asked.  
  
“I think it was. It was really good. I was surprised because I don’t usually care for mead, too sweet usually. This was mellow.”  
  
“I made that,” she said proudly beaming up at him.  
  
“Did you really?”  
  
“I did, everyone here has things they are required to do. I was taught how to make mead, but then I had been tasting all the flora here that we don’t have in Greece and I realized that dandelions have an interesting flavor profile. I made a sample batch, and everyone loved it! Now I make more of the dandelion mead than any other.” She told him proudly.  
  
“It was wonderful, Kore,” he said, and her heart fluttered hearing him say her name.  
  
_Was Eros, right_? She asked herself. _Is he doing this for us_?  
  
“I’ll be sure to send you home with a couple of bottles,” she said, realizing they were still holding hands and let go as they entered the dining hall. Once they had their food and seated across from each other at one of the long plank tables Persephone asked, “who is taking care of the dogs? How big is Pomelia getting?”  
  
“ _Meli_ has doubled in size,” Hades said emphasizing the dog’s name, “most of them are staying with the doggy daycare that Cordon Bleu and Russel frequent, but Cerberus is staying at the office. He will keep himself busy and go wherever he wants,” he said laughing.  
  
“Oh, I miss them all so much. And when are you going to stop calling Pomelia by the wrong name?” She said and accidently kicked him with her foot that she was swinging under the table since her feet did not touch the ground. He stretched his leg out under the table and she rested her foot on it and smiled shyly.  
  
He had not stopped smiling since he had first seen her and winked in response. Persephone’s blood thrummed in her veins as she thought, _did he just wink at me_?  
  
“Well she is _my_ dog, and I named her Meli.” He paused for a second, “are they baking something in the kitchens? Something smells delicious.”  
  
Persephone’s blush deepened. It had recently been explained to her that her pheromones made her smell like cookies or other bakery items. Basically, anything sweet with a lot of vanilla. She must have flooded his senses when she reacted to his wink, and with all her attention on him there were only two ways to clear his head. One was out of the question, and the other was simple enough, “must be, stay here I’ll go check.”  
  
She slid off the bench and rushed to the kitchen to talk with Kara who ran the kitchen, “any chance you’ve got some fresh baked cookies or something?”  
  
“No,” Kara said, giving her the sly look, “should I whip up a quick batch?”  
  
“Please,” Persephone said, fidgeting with her hair and bit her lip as Kara peaked her head out of the kitchen door.  
  
“Who’s the tall blue hottie looking like he just got smacked over the head?”  
  
“Um, that’s Hades, King of the Underworld.”  
  
“Really?” She said turning back to Persephone, “I knew you were holding a torch for someone. Never expected it would be King Aidoneus. I’ll make your cookies, but you need to do me a favor in exchange.”  
  
“ _Anything_ , name it,” Persephone said begging.  
  
“Next time the red one shows up, put in a good word for me,” she said with a wink and shooed her out of the kitchen.  
  
Persephone and Hades spent the afternoon together and she showed him around the realm, which was not very large compared to the Olympian Realms. They talked about all the things they had been up to lately. He talked about how now Hypnos was working as a psychopomp, and how it was a nightmare to have both twins working together. She told him about school, her lessons, and training. She avoided talking about certain aspects of her lessons with Freya since it had so much to do with the sexual side of being a fertility goddess.  
  
“I need to change soon for my training with Hilda,” Persephone said when she realized the time. “I’ll see you at dinner though?”  
  
“Can I watch your training? I’m interested to see what you’ve been learning.” He said sheepishly and ruffled the back of his hair.  
  
“Not tonight,” she said, and when she saw his disappointment she added, “but tomorrow you can! Tonight, Hilda wants to try to force me to shift into my primal form, and she can get – ruthless. I don’t really want you to hear about all my emotional stuff.”  
  
“What kind of training is that?” He asked, visibly upset.  
  
Persephone kicked the ground at her feet, “well, at first they tried to get me to phase with physical violence, but I just keep turning into a butterfly and returning to my room when I’m cornered. Then they tried to make me watch them kill animals because I shifted here before when I saw poachers killing a deer, but I just got sick. _Then_ they thought it was because I was surprised, so I spent weeks on edge because nearly every Valkyrie took it upon themselves to scare me half to death.”  
  
“So now they are verbally abusing you? I don’t like the sound of this training. Would you like me to have a word with Freya about this?”  
  
“No!” She said, quickly, “it’s important that I learn to control myself. I have been suppressing my anger for my entire life. I must learn to stop bottling everything up. I don’t _like_ doing it, but it _is_ working. I’ve been shifting everyday for the past week, and I’m able to remember who I am when I do it. Then they get me drunk afterwards.”  
  
“If you’re sure,” he said hesitantly.  
  
“I am, you should get some rest while I train. You have been up all night travelling and then walking around with me all day. Besides, tomorrow’s training is fun, I can show you all the cool things I do with plants,” she said and took his arm and they walked back to the big house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your feedback.


	11. Cookies (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades smells cookies. Don't skip over the overlap from Chapter 10 if you want to see why Hades winked at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possible Triggers:
> 
> Reference to a minor character death.
> 
> End of chapter shows Persephone reliving a tramatic event. Hades has no context.

Hades had never been so happy as he was when Persephone saw him and launched into his arms. Holding her again was like the first time he breathed fresh after he was freed from Cronus. He had not even registered that it was inappropriate for him to be greeted that way from a goddess he had exiled until Freya cleared her throat behind him. She smelled sweet and fresh, like cut grass, and putting her down felt like a crime. She pulled him down the hall as she skipped barefoot trailing blue flowers behind her.  
  
They had talked about the pack at home and he wondered if she knew how much it meant to him that she cared so much about them. He did not have the heart to tell her that J.P. had passed away, he would tell her, but not so soon.  
  
“Oh, I miss them all so much. And when are you going to stop calling Pomelia by the wrong name?” She teased him. She knew full well the dog’s name was Pomelia, and then she ran her foot up his leg sending a shiver through him. He extended his leg closer to her so she would not need to reach as far, and she rested her foot on his leg, wiggling her toes. He gave her what he hoped was a wink that would earn him a 100% scoundrel response, but instead got a deep blush and her hair bloomed well with blue flowers. Are those for me? _Gods, what is she doing to you Old Man_?  
  
“Well, she is _my_ dog, and I named her Meli.” He goaded, _say it_ , he thought, then a wonderful smell of cookies came from behind her, “are they baking something in the kitchens? Something smells delicious.”  
  
“Must be, stay here I’ll go check,” she said and bounced away before he could stop her.  
  
After lunch they walked around the gardens and she showed him different plants that were not native to Greece. She was so excited to talk about learning horticulture of the Norse Realms.  
  
“They’ve got so many resilient plants here because of winter. Most of the plants in the Olympus Territory would die and never return if there was a sudden winter. It would be a disaster, so many things would be lost forever. The crops would be ok, but most of the flowers would just be gone. But here, the flowers come back every spring on their own. Freya helps a bit, but the plants do most of it on their own.” She was so exuberant in her explanation; she was creating a trail of freshly sprouting white flowers behind her.  
  
“How is that possible?” Hades asked. He didn’t know much about plant life, he didn’t need to because the only things that grew in the Underworld were the pomegranate trees and moss, unless you counted mold, and he was pretty sure that was not a plant.  
  
“That is what I am trying to learn, so I’ve changed my major. In Olympus, my major was Biology Theory with a minor in soil nutrients. Here I have chosen Horticulture Creation Theory with a minor in principles of self-propagating fauna,” she said smiling up at him, “am I boring you with all my flower talk?”  
  
“Not at all, I love your flower talk,” he said, placing his hand on her cheek. She smiled shyly and then pointedly looked over to her left at a group of beings nearby, so he took his hand away and asked, “what does propagation mean?”  
  
She laughed, taking his hand, and rattled off a definition he imagined was verbatim to one of her textbooks, “basically it means they will come back all on their own.”  
  
“What will you do during spring if all the flowers come back on their own?”  
  
“Hades, I am an artist, just because they can do it on their own, doesn’t mean I won’t have anything to do. Besides, then I can focus on helping with issues like blight, or pest control. It’s not like I’m doing anything there now,” she said, and Hades felt his stomach drop.  
  
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up,” he said, feeling ashamed of his idiocy.  
  
“I love it here, and I think I needed to be here. I miss Olympus and everyone back home. I miss you. But this is giving me the opportunity to be a better Goddess. It’s not easy, but growth never is,” she said grabbing his hand again and pulling him down into the shade of a flowering tree. “It’s like flowers again, I can put my hand on the ground and feel all the seeds under the soil. There are seeds for 7 different flowers under us right now, they are just down there dormant. They can’t begin to germinate because they don’t get enough light because of the tree, or the ones that do get enough light aren’t strong enough to break through the thick grass.”  
  
She closed her eyes and placed her palms to the ground and green stems began to emerge until they were sitting in the middle of a patch of several different flowers. “All it takes is a little disturbance, and they can grow and bloom instead of being trapped by circumstances.”  
  
_You are the most glorious creature in existence, Little Goddess_ , he thought to himself. She leaned towards him and he moved to kiss her, but she pulled away suddenly. “I need to change soon for my training with Hilda. I’ll see you at dinner though?”  
  
She told him about her training, which he was not thrilled to hear about, and despite her protests he would have a word with Freya about the brutality of it. She had no reason to learn to fight like that, she was soft and sweet. She was not a warrior. She was a fighter, like the flowers she had described, but violence was not her way. He knew that. They walked back to the house together and he retired to his rooms to rest for a little while before dinner.  
  
Hades found himself unable to sleep with all the light present in Fólkvangr, so he got up and went to the window to close the blinds, he knew they would be magicked to block out the light. On the grounds below he could see Persephone and a tall broad Valkyrie circling each other. The Valkyrie was shoving her lightly, knocking her off balance a little and taunting her. _She asked you not to watch_ , he said to himself. _No, she said she didn’t want you to hear_.  
  
Hades stepped to the side to watch without being in full view as the Goddesses. He could not hear what they were saying, their voices did not travel far enough. The Valkyrie, Persephone had called them Hilda, must have said something to upset her because Persephone started to sprout red vines in her hair, and she curled in on herself, he realized she was crying. _Oh, Sweetness, why do you do this to yourself_?  
  
He was about to shut the curtains and turn away when he heard Hilda shout, “you said ok!”  
  
“ _Stop_!” Persephone shouted back and shoved Hilda. “I mean it, _stop_!”  
  
“Oh, c’mon Persie, stop acting so _immature_. We just need more practice,” Hilda taunted. The goddess was not shouting anymore, but they were talking loud enough for their voices to carry to the window. “I didn’t do anything wrong, you said ok. You’ve been asking for it all day, babe, don’t be mad at me. I mean, you know you wanted it.”  
  
_What is she doing? What is going on down there_?  
  
Persephone shoved the Valkyrie again growing visibly angry, “That’s not how it works, and you know it. You don’t get to push me around and make me do things I don’t want to do just because you're bigger than me! _What are you doing_?” Hilda had taken out her phone and had been taking pictures of Persephone as she was speaking.  
  
“Relax, I’m just taking photos. People are going to love seeing these, I bet they will think –” before Hilda finished her sentence, Persephone covered her face with her hands, kneeling halfway to the ground in the extreme force of her tears. Then suddenly thick green stems began to grow from her back and grew into trees shaped like wings and a cloak of feathers—no, leaves, shaped like feathers, sprouted from her shoulders mirroring the shape of the armor the Valkyrie wore. _Gods you are beautiful_. Hades thought as she shifted into her primal form.  
  
Hades fingers began to tingle, and his heart slowed as his own primal form shuttered into view. He did not wait any longer to close the blinds blocking out the view below and the light before sinking to the ground in despair.  
  
_Oh, my love_?


	12. Cookies (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades smells cookies. Persephone sets ground rules.
> 
> **Also, Gods don't get morning breath.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor character death is discussed. See end notes for my reasoning.

Persephone knocked on Hades’ door after she had changed from her training with Hilda. It had gone well; she had gone primal but had not tried to kill the Valkyrie. It doubled as a therapy session because they had discovered that making her say what she wished she had said to Apollo allowed her to accept her anger. When she stopped suppressing her anger and she accepted it, she was able to shift. The constant process made it possible for her to control. Next week she would be trying to go primal without the instigation of Hilda.  
  
Hades answered the door looking rather ragged, very unlike himself. “Are you ok? You look tired,” she said chewing on her bottom lip. “Maybe you should stay here and sleep, I can ask someone to send you up—”  
  
He pulled her into the room by the hand and shut the door closed and lifted Persephone into his arms and kissed her. She was surprised by the abrupt departure of decorum, but they had been exchanging little touches all day. She returned his kiss with fervor and her blood thrummed through her veins as she wrapped her legs around him.  
  
“Gods, Persephone,” he said kissing her jaw under the ear and down her neck, “you smell so good.”  
  
“Hades,” she said breathless, realizing what was happening, he hummed in response as he trailed kisses to the other side of her neck and cupped her bottom with one of his hands, “Hades, stop.”  
  
She had not shouted, in fact it was barely a whisper, but Hades snapped to attention and placed her back on the floor stepping a few feet away from her looking ashamed, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”  
  
“Nope, we need to talk. Do you still have any of those cookies?” she asked, straightening her skirt.  
  
“What? Yeah, on the desk. I’m sorry, I should have been more—”  
  
“Shut up and eat a cookie,” she said, handing him one and looking pointedly until he took a large bite and chewed. “Feeling better?”  
  
“Yes, actually. I’m still an asshole,” he said shoving the rest of the cookie in his mouth.  
  
She smiled at him, “you are not an asshole, Hades. Sit down, I need to tell you something important.” He looked at her confused and worried, but he did as she asked.  
  
“Have you heard of pheromones?” She asked, and he shook his head. “They are chemicals that everyone has, the simplest way to describe them is the way we smell to each other. I happen to smell like baked goods,” she fidgeted with her hair and looked away, “and when I’m excited it can be overpowering and it’s easy to get lost in your own excitement.”  
  
He looked at her ashamed, “I am more than 2000, I do not need to be accosting you for simply knocking on my door because you smell like cookies.”  
  
“Ok, so maybe you have a point there, but I didn’t mind. It’s just, I’m not – sugar snaps, I’m going to be blunt,” she said and turned around so that she would not have to look at him, “I’m not going to have sex with you. I’m not going to fool around with you. I am ok with small kisses if you are, I am ok with sleeping in the same bed, if you are. There will be nothing else between us while I am still in exile.”  
  
“I didn’t expect—”  
  
“I know,” she interrupted him again. “I had Kara make the cookies as soon as I realized I wasn’t going to be able to handle my excitement. You should probably eat one every couple of hours to keep yourself in check, and I’ll do my best to control myself – I’m new at this.”  
  
“Why is this suddenly an issue, it wasn’t like this before,” he said trying to understand.  
  
Persephone turned around and saw Hades looking miserable and blushing as he ate another cookie. “Wasn’t it? How many times did we nearly kiss? How many secret touches did we share? Since then, we’ve admitted how we feel about each other.”  
  
“We slept next to each other twice since we kissed,” Hades said, arguing against himself.  
  
“And both times I explicitly said I didn’t want anything more than to be held. How many times did I nearly kiss you those nights? I know you noticed because you started talking about something. How many times did you think about kissing me? But you didn’t, _we didn’t_ , because of the ground rules,” She said exasperated.  
  
“You smell really good too, by the way,” she added quietly.  
  
“Oh? What do I smell like,” he asked, with a sly smile.  
  
“Before the cookies kicked in? Like a fire of cedar wood mingled with the seeds of pomegranates. Normally, a fire on a cold night,” she said blushing.  
  
“Are you saying I’m hot?” He asked flashing another smile her way.  
  
“Scoundrel percentage is at a 95%, young man,” she said laughing.  
  
“Young man? Who are you calling young?” He barked with laughter.  
  
“We are late for dinner, are you joining me?” She said, attempting to put an end to their banter.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Good, go fix your hair or everyone is going to assume we’ve been up to no good.” She said and left the room to wait in the hall.  
  
  
  
  


Dinner was loud and chaotic as always. Any time there were more than three Valkyrie in a room it was bound to be a ruckus. Persephone loved it, and Hades seemed to be enjoying himself. She was surprised at how many people he seemed to know here, to her knowledge he never really left Olympus. As they were walking back to his rooms it was finally quiet enough to ask him.  
  
“I’ve known Odin and Freya since the Titanomachy, they helped us near the end. Hel too, she helped me establish the Underworld. Originally there was only Tartarus, and once we filled it with Titans it was pretty much unusable for a few hundred years. But the underworld did not really exist at that point. So, they helped me draw the borders,” he explained.  
  
“So, it’s dark because of Hel’s influence? I haven’t met her yet,” she said intrigued.  
  
“She doesn’t leave anymore, and I would strongly prefer you didn’t go to Hel. It may seem like the Underworld because of the perpetual darkness, but it is much closer to Tartarus. It’s filled with the worst of the worst,” he said, stopping in the middle of the hall and crouched down to look at her while he spoke to convey the importance.  
  
“Ok, no Hel, Freya already told me. She also doesn’t want me to go to Valhalla or Ran’s realm without at least two Valkyrie with me,” she told him.  
  
“Good, that sounds sensible. Have you visited Gefjon’s realm yet?” he asked, and she shook her head looking away, “when you do, I’d like to hear what it’s like. I don’t know anyone who’s been there and you’re the perfect Goddess for the job.”  
  
“Oh, I don’t think I’ll be going there,” she said dismissively. The truth was, _she could not_ go there. Gefjon’s realm was the afterlife for virgins and only virgins could enter the realm.  
  
“Why not?” He asked, it was not an accusation to her relief. “Can’t find anyone to take you?”  
  
“No, Mist could take me, she’s one of the Valkyrie – the one with the white wings who looks like a shade. No, I just think it would be sad there. Mostly children there, and I don’t want to see so many people who died too young,” it was not the truth, but it wasn’t a lie either. “I never noticed young people in the Underworld.”  
  
“Most go directly to the Fortunate Isles to await rebirth. Any mortal who hasn’t reached adulthood is reincarnated unless they’ve done something wicked that would require a penance,” he told her as they approached his door. He hesitated, mussing the back of his hair. “If you want—I don’t know if you’re comfortable, but—”  
  
“I need to change, and let Hilda know where I’m sleeping. I didn’t see her at dinner,” she said rubbing her arm and looking away from him. “Can I come back in about an hour?”  
  
“Of course, if you change your mind, I will see you tomorrow,” he said and leaned down and kissed the top of her head.  
  
“I won’t,” she said blushing.  
  
  
  
  


A little more than an hour later Persephone knocked softly on Hades door. He opened it and smiled as he chewed what she knew was a cookie. She smiled as she walked in, “precautionary cookie?”  
  
“Mmhm,” he said, still chewing, then answered properly, “I promise to be a gentleman and to treat you with respect.”  
  
“Good,” she said and shut the door behind her. “Now, I want to hear about the dogs. You better have brought me the pictures I asked for in my last letter.”  
  
“I did, take a seat,” he said, and went to his bag to get them. Persephone sat on the bed criss cross and waited. Hades handed her the pictures and explained what was happening in each one. “And here is J.P. right before I took him to the vet.”  
  
“Oh, is it his stomach again? What did he eat this time?” She asked, shaking her head at the silliness of the dog who had several surgeries because of eating things he should not. She looked up at him curiously when he did not answer, and her heart sank when she saw his face. “Oh, no, poor boy. Are you ok?”  
  
He cleared his throat attempting to talk but only managed a croak and nodded instead. Persephone was already crying and scooted closer to hug him. “Don’t cry, Sweetness. He had a good run.”  
  
“I guess I always figured that they would live forever because they are in the Underworld. I kind of thought maybe they already were—you know, but you brought them home to give them a good afterlife. It never occurred to me –,” she cried harder and choked out the last, “I’m never going to see any of them again.”  
  
He swayed side to side rubbing her back to soothe her. “That’s not true, you’ll be coming to Olympus every spring, and Cerberus will always be around. I know he’s your favorite.”  
  
“I don’t have a favorite, how could I choose a favorite. I just saw him the most, he would visit me when you got grumpy with him.” She said sniffling.  
  
“Don’t tell him that. He’s been very upset with me since you left. Giving me the cold shoulder, and he comes over to me and farts all the time now,” he said, and she snorted, “I know he’s doing it on purpose too. He’ll come into the office to stand by me, makes a foul smell and immediately leaves.”  
  
“You’re just trying to make me feel better,” she said laughing through her tears.  
  
“Is it working?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Good,” and he kissed her on top of the head, “it’s all true.”  
  
They laid down to snuggle when Hades would not stop yawning. He protested saying he was fine, but Persephone rolled her eyes and crawled under the covers. He went to the window to close the blinds and joined her in the bed holding her spoon fashion.  
  
“Can I ask you something?”  
  
“You just did, but you can ask something else,” Persephone said, lacing her fingers into his.  
  
“You mentioned you needed to tell Hilda where you were sleeping. I was wondering if they were treating you well here. Do they make you check in all the time?” He asked, Persephone smiled at his concern.  
“No,” she said, “we’ve been sleeping together, so I wanted her to know where I was going to be.”  
  
“Um,” he said hesitantly, and Persephone could feel her face get hot.  
  
“Not like that,” she said, attempting to kick him in the leg but missed and tried again.  
  
Hades grabbed her thigh to stop her and croaked, “Maybe you shouldn’t wiggle around like that, Little Goddess.”  
  
“Ok,” she said unphased, then she realized where her bottom was located in proximity to his own body, “ _Oh_ , ok, maybe I should scoot up a little?”  
  
“Good idea,” he said as she moved up, “to keep everyone comfortable.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had two reasons for killing off J.P.  
> 1\. Persephone needed to realize that everything in Olympus isn't going to be like it was before she left.  
> 2\. I've seen some theories that all of Hades dogs are dead and living a good afterlife. I don't think this is true, I think Hades wants/needs to be surrounded by life.  
> 
> 
> [ Link to my inspiration playlist. There are some weird choices and almost everything is more than 10 years old](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFvDUfy7b7jNXDtdJtfAqAl5ZprB-V-2l)


	13. Coward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn how Hades became the King of the Underworld. Hades has a flashback to Persephone leaving Olympus. Freya has a few things to say to Hades.

Hades lineage was easily traced to the Primordial Gods. He was born of Cronus, Time Himself, who was born of the Universe and the Earth. Uranus and Gaia, respectively. His mother, Rhea, was called The Mother of Gods, not only because she bore the three kings, but because she was the first to birth a child who was more than Titan. The Titans were always in a primal state, giant and emanating with inconceivable power. The Gods that were born from them were different, they were mortal sized and only extreme emotions would cause them to embrace their primal power matching the Titans in both strength and size.  
  
Every Greek God has a primal form, even if they never found the catalyst to shift, they have the latent ability to do so. Hades had discovered his shortly after healing from his wounds inflicted by his imprisonment inside the gut of Cronus. Unable to speak from disuse, mentally stunted from his nearly three decades of isolation, he relished the bloodshed of battle. He was the first of his brothers to find his primal form, shifting into a near mirror image of his father, seething with rage, he ripped his enemies to pieces. He felt no remorse for the carnage he left, few did when they embraced their wrath, but his was unparalleled. He was still haunted, 2000 years later of the butchery he inflicted. There was no doubt in his mind that he was a monster.  
  
Very few beings knew that this is the true reason he was named King of the Underworld. By rights, he should have been King of Olympus, ruling over all who were left after the victory of the Titanomachy Wars. Instead, he was feared – because of his unquenchable wrath and his physical resemblance of his father—no one wanted another tyrant for a king. The Underworld was his punishment, his prison, his exile.  
  
Therefore, seeing Persephone in her primal form woke a part of him he attempted to suppress. Her beauty and power drove him mad with his baser urges to destroy and conquer, to ravish her and repopulate the earth with their offspring. But that was not possible, it would never be possible, he would never father children. In that moment he realized that he was both unworthy of her love and bound to her irrevocably.  
  
Very few Gods were woven into another being’s existence. The Fates knew all, they could see past, present, and future; but for most beings there was still choice. The thread of a being’s fate could take many forms, just as a single skein of yarn could make a multitude of garments. Every creature had free will, except when prophecies were involved. Prophecies had a way of making themselves actualized, if a prophecy were never told it would not come to pass, but once spoken it became destiny.  
  
There is a prophecy that says that when two gods responded to each other, recognizing their primal form as an equal, they would share their destiny. This is why Hades sank to the ground in despair. There was no going back from this moment. He could not name the moment he fell in love with her, it was slow and gradual. It stemmed from attraction, quickly growing into a desire to protect, until blooming into a feeling of bliss when he was near her. Hades had always wanted Persephone to choose to be with him, he never felt he had a right to her, the Underworld was no place for a Goddess of Spring. It was no longer a choice, and her entire life her choices were never her own. How could he tell her? How could he live without her while she found herself?  
  
  
  
  


Hades woke in the morning with Persephone in his arms and felt happy. It was a contrast to the last time he had shared a bed with her on her last night before being sent away. He had told her that he would leave before she woke, but he knew she had not slept because neither had he. She had kept her eyes shut tight and her body limp as he carefully slid his arm from under her head and softly got out of bed. He bent over and kissed her softly on the temple and whispered, “I’m sorry.” He did not know if he had been apologizing for leaving like a coward or for sending her away like an idiot. But he meant it with his entire being. He had seen the tears spilling from her closed eyes, and he had heard her muffled sobs as he shut the door behind him.  
  
“You’re an idiot, boss,” Alecto repeated to him as she scowled from the dark living room.  
  
“I am well aware of all my shortcomings,” he said curtly.  
  
“Is that why you’re sending her away?”  
  
“I’m giving her what she wants, what she needs,” he said, turning the doorknob to the outside world.  
  
“Is it though?” Her words echoed through his head a hundred times a day for the past six months.  
  
This morning felt different. There would be no bittersweet good-bye today, those would come tomorrow. He knew there would be no cowardly retreat. Persephone stirred beside him, stretching before turning around to face him and snuggling into his chest. He brushed the hair from her face and kissed her forehead.  
  
“How’d you sleep?” She asked, stifling a yawn.  
  
“Good. You?”  
  
“Mmm,” she hummed happily, “you are much more snuggly, and you snore softer than the Valkyrie.  
  
“ _I do not snore_ ,” he said, feigning feeling insulted. She wiggled her fingers on his ribs near his armpit causing him to jerk as she giggled, “stop that, it tickles.”  
  
He tickled her back causing her to squeal loudly, “shh, ok, truce. We are going to wake the whole house.”  
  
“Doubtful, those who aren’t already awake could sleep through a battle,” she said smiling up at him. “Besides this is much more wholesome than what they will assume we’ve been doing.”  
  
He froze, suddenly ashamed of himself, “I’m sorry, I didn’t consider what this might do to your reputation.”  
  
Persephone huffed a laugh, “are you joking? They’d be happy for me. You are forgetting this world is led by a fertility goddess. Mist and I are the only two being in this realm who aren’t coupling.”  
  
“And if it gets back to Hestia?” He was worried about her Olympian reputation as well. _Get your shit together. You need to put her first_.  
  
“Didn’t you know?” She asked propping herself up on her elbow, “I was kicked out of TGOEM. I got the letter last month.”  
  
“No, I did not know. I’m sorry,” he said, not feeling sorry at all.  
  
“No, you’re not, but I appreciate a lie. I’m not sorry either. I had a letter prepared to send back with my messenger, informing her that I was rescinding my intentions to join,” she shrugged.  
  
“Why?” He hoped it did not have to do with him. He was beyond happy she was not going to surprise him with the news that she became a full-fledged member, but he did not want to be a damaging factor.  
  
“Prerequisite to membership is no unauthorized and unjustified acts of wrath,” she explained.  
  
“How do they expect any member to join? Everyone has a wrathful youth,” he said scoffing. “Except maybe Artemis, but she spends her nights hunting poachers, so she kills almost as many people as Ares.”  
  
“Did you have a wrathful youth, _Aidoneus_?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him. He knew she did not bat her eyes. It was not her smell, it was not the eyelashes, or even her body pressed against him. It was her calling him by his original name that caused him to lose his sense of propriety again and pulled her tightly to him and kissed her. She hummed happily as they shared a few minutes of playful kissing until she pushed him back breaking the spell. “I am hungry, and I need to shower. I’ll meet you at breakfast.”  
  
After she skipped out of the room Hades did what any self-respecting being would do in his situation. He skipped eating a cookie, took matters into his own hand while taking his shower. It seemed like a better solution, and in his lust addled brain, likely to be more effective for longer.  
  
  
  
  


After breakfast Persephone asked him to join her outside to watch her train, he was about to say yes when Freya stepped up behind Persephone and said, “Little One, I was actually hoping to get a chance to speak to Aidoneus before the day starts. Do you mind?”  
  
“Oh, course not, Freya,” she had said and turned to Hades, “find me when you're done.”  
  
Hades followed Freya to her office and had a bad feeling the entire time. When they reached the office and she turned back to him with eyes full black, he knew he had overstepped. He grimaced at her, “what have I done to upset you, Freya?”  
  
“Let’s begin with sending that goddess here under false pretenses,” she said, putting her hands on her hips.  
  
“False pretenses?” He asked aghast, “I did no such thing. I had Hecate explain to you –”  
  
“Yes, yes,” she said, making a shooing motion to the raven sitting on the arm of her chair. “She said that Persephone had been running away to Norse when you captured and arrested her for conspiracy and blah blah blah. What you failed to mention, Aidoneus, is that you are in love with her and she returns your affection. I knew there was someone she was holding a torch for, but I had no clue it was you. I am so disappointed in you!”  
  
Hades was angry, “what is wrong with giving the goddess I love a chance to find herself away from her mother. You _know_ Demeter, she would never allow her the freedom she needs to grow. She wanted to come, so I sent her. Did I want to send her? _No_! But it is keeping her safe from my half-witted brother’s notions.”  
  
“For 100 years? Don’t misunderstand me, she is welcome here for as long as she wants to be here, but why 100? Is that how old she has to be before you stop feeling guilt over her age?”  
  
“Fates, no! You honestly believe I will make her stay longer than she wants to be here? She loves it here, and if she never leaves then I will have to deal with that! But _don’t misunderstand me_. I have done this _for_ her, not _to_ her,” he was getting angrier, he could feel the shutters of pressure in his body that preclude microearthquakes. _Get your shit together_.  
  
Freya finally sat down at her desk and rubbed her temples, “that goddess has spent the first 20 years of her life being groomed to be an eternal virgin. Now you have sent her here for me to groom her to be your queen.”  
  
Hades took the seat across from her and pinched the bridge of his nose echoing her frustration. “It’s not like that Freya. I swear, until yesterday I didn’t know she would be my queen.”  
  
“What changed yesterday,” she asked annoyed.  
  
He took a deep breath and stared into the eyes of one of his oldest friends. “I was watching her from my window while she trained with the Valkyrie. I saw her primal form… and I shifted on instinct,” he said, feeling ashamed for watching her when she had asked him not to. _No, she asked to not to hear_. **_But you did hear something_**. _I just don’t understand what_.  
  
“Aidoneus, you need to be honest with her. You need to give her the choice,” Freya said quietly as she softly stroked her pet raven who cawed softly.  
  
“I wish I could,” Hades confessed, burying his head in his hands. _I am a coward_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your comments and kudos! Tell me what you love, hate, or want to see. 
> 
> [ Here is a link to my inspiration playlist. I'm an odd duck and almost everything is more than 10 years old.](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFvDUfy7b7jNXDtdJtfAqAl5ZprB-V-2l)


	14. Nothern Lights (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see some of the powers Persephone is developing. Odin hosts a celebration in honor of a visiting king.

Persephone finished training with Hilda and smiled over to Hades who was sitting under a tree nearby. “Did you see what I was doing?”  
  
“I did, it was very impressive. I wasn’t aware you could do all that,” he said smiling up at her. She had been going through drills, as Freya called it--alternating between making plants grow and pulling the life from plants. Hilda would shout _create_ or _destroy_ at random intervals and Persephone would do as much as she could. Hilda was a general and refused to accept weakness of any kind, which was one of the things that Persephone loved about her. She was hard but caring, demanding but encouraging.  
  
“I didn’t know I could do anything other than make things grow when I first got here,” she said, sitting beside him as she pulled her hair away from the back of her neck. She had cut her hair this morning before getting in the shower to prepare for her drills, but it was long again and made her hot.  
  
“Why are they having you wither the plants too?” He asked. He seemed off somehow, Persephone could not figure out what had changed. She knew he was not upset about the kiss-and-run because they had been fine at breakfast. Was he disturbed by her ability to destroy?  
  
“Two sides of the same coin,” Persephone explained, gesturing with her hands avidly as she went on, “everything we do has an opposite and equal reaction. Like when you gave that reporter his eye back, you shouldn’t have been able to do that because you don’t have healing powers, but you could because you’re the one who took it. If you had used no magical means to take his eye, it wouldn’t have worked. Same principle. Anything I can create I can destroy. Anything I heal I can inflict. Being able to control both makes me stronger. Freya said that the reason I went so nuts on that village was because I had been denying myself.”  
  
“I think Freya is a very intelligent and insightful being,” he said, smiling fading. “She gives good advice.”  
  
“She does,” Persephone agreed, and dug around in her bag pulling out a pair of scissors and began to twist her hair in sections and cut through the locks.  
  
“Of course, your hair turns into petals. Could you be more beautiful?” He asked, smiling again and laughing.  
  
“Why do you think I leave pink petals everywhere, even if I’m not wearing them in my hair? It’s annoying mostly, I am constantly vacuuming. Now I just cut my hair outside and let the wind take them.” She said, finishing her hair, “how do I look?”  
  
“Perfectly sufficient,” he teased, and she smiled putting the scissors back in her bag. “How do you manage to make your hair look so good without even seeing what you’re doing?”  
  
“You can put on a tie without looking in the mirror, can’t you?” She asked, and he agreed. “Same thing. Enough practice and you can do anything. I bet if I went to a stylist they’d be appalled at what I’ve done.”  
  
Just then Mist came over to them, “Persephone, did you hear the news?”  
  
Persephone introduced Hades and her Valkyrie friend to each other and listened to what she had to say, “We will be performing the Northern Lights tonight after the banquet honoring your King Aidoneus.”  
  
“That’s amazing! I can’t wait!” Persephone said, jumping to her feet and hugging Mist in her excitement. “Wait, what banquette?”  
  
It turned out that Hades’ sudden visit made Odin decide to have a formal party to honor him as a visiting king. Persephone experienced waves of nervous excitement as the evening was discussed. She had been excited to see the Northern Lights, but dinners in Valhalla could be intense and loud. She would much rather spend a quiet evening with Hades before he left tomorrow.  
  
“You don’t seem surprised, did you know?” Persephone asked, glaring at Hades.  
  
“I didn’t _know_ , but I’m not surprised. It’s not often that royalty visits other realms. I brought something that would suit any dress code, so I would be prepared,” he said with a grin. “May I have the honor of escorting you to the party tonight?”  
  
Persephone always managed to forget that Hades was a king. She didn’t see him as royalty, she saw him as a dog-loving, dorky, work-aholic businessman.  
  
Formal attire on this occasion meant she would be wearing a peplos, which she luckily had one because her mother had sent one to her in May. The letter that accompanied the silk-embroidered fabric and broaches had explained that it was always important to travel with mortal finery. Therefore, Persephone found herself in the late afternoon getting ready to attend a formal banquet on the arm of a king. And not any king, but the one she loved. Would this be the first of many? Was Eros right, and someday she would be his queen? Could she dare to hope?  
  
Freya had helped her dress. Most of Persephone’s mortal attire had been sewn to look like a peplos or chiton, but the traditional garment was nothing more than a long bolt of fabric that was folded, draped, pinned, and belted. She was capable of wrestling herself into the garment, but Freya had asked to help, and Persephone agreed. The dress was white silk with rose gold thread woven through so that it shimmered in the light and complemented her skin tone. The edges were embroidered with her signature roses in the same metallic thread.  
  
“You look stunning,” Hades said, smiling down at her when she answered her door. He was dressed like when he had taken her on a tour of Acheron, his robes were a dark charcoal grey with fine gold embroidery, and he wore his solid black diadem. Persephone had hoped he would wear his crown, she had only ever seen him wear it in the paintings at Hera’s house. Still he looked handsome as he bent down, kissing her softly, then offered her his elbow and they went downstairs to join the crowd waiting for the bridge to open between Fólkvangr and Valhalla.  
  
Dinner was wonderful even though there was a distinct lack of vegetarian dishes. This was typical for all the parties Persephone had been to and she prepared by eating a big lunch. They talked with the other leaders of different parts of the Norse Pantheon. There were dozens of realms here, and according to King Odin it was uncommon for so many to be in Valhalla at one time, “but it is not everyday that we get a visit from Aidoneus!”  
  
“Why does everyone here call you Aidoneus, even if I introduce you to someone as Hades, they still call you Aidoneus?” She asked when they had made their way out on the terrace to get away from the crowds.  
  
“The mortals here don’t change their names, so they don’t use them,” he said shrugging.  
  
“They call me Persephone, and that’s not my original name,” she pointed out to him.  
  
“Maybe because you came here as Persephone and they never knew you as Kore,” he suggested. “Knowing the Norse, it’s probably because they put more value in what the name Persephone represents.”  
  
“How did you go from Aidoneus to Hades?” Persephone asked. She had always been curious about his name change.  
  
“Hades is actually the name of the Underworld. As you’ve noticed, it’s not _under_ anything. I named the company Underworld and the realm Hades,” he said, shrugging. “Then the mortals got it into their mind that saying my name was a taboo.”  
  
“And, _The Unseen One_ ,” she asked, emphasizing the obscenity of the name.  
  
“You really don’t know?” He asked, tilting his head to the side.  
  
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking,” she said tugging on his cloak, and he leaned down and kissed her. He was so careful to keep the kisses brief and still tender. He was keeping to her ground rules and that made her want him more than that passionate kiss he had stolen from her yesterday before dinner. “Well, are you going to tell me?”  
  
Hades chuckled and leaned against the balcony rails looking out at the sky, “I used to have a helm that allowed me to be invisible to everyone, including gods.” He said dismissively.  
  
“So the mortals would call you _The Unseen One_ because you went invisible?” She asked, “used to have? Where is it now?”  
  
“That’s it, a little on the nose,” he said, “I lent it to someone who needed it more than myself. That was – oh seven centuries ago.”  
  
“That sounds like a long time to lend something that dangerous,” she said feeling uncomfortable, she always felt uncomfortable when their age difference was being acknowledged.  
  
“If I ever need it, I know I will get it back,” he said and rested his hand over hers on the railing. “Please keep that to yourself, no one else knows it’s not in my possession.”  
  
“Why did you tell me? You could have kept that to yourself,” she said.  
  
“There is no point in hiding it, and I don’t want to keep unnecessary secrets from you,” he said, straightening up and holding out his hand in invitation, “may I have this dance?”  
  
Music had started up inside the great hall and Persephone accepted his hand and they walked back inside and danced. The next couple of hours were spent dancing, mostly with each other, but Persephone also danced with Odin, Thor, and a few beings she had never met. Persephone had heard many great stories about Odin’s favorite son, in truth he was arrogant and handsy. She was just about to restrain him with vines when the music suddenly shifted into a fast tempo and the revelers transitioned into lines and began to dance in a fury of feet. Persephone attempted to bow out of the native style of dance, but Hilda had insisted that she learn the steps.  
  
Persephone finally bowed away from the dancers and made her way to Hades feeling elated and exhausted. “Mist told me where the best viewing areas will be, let’s go claim our spot before we are forced to sit with Odin and his entourage,” she said, taking him by the hand and leading him into the gardens.  
  
Persephone found the spot Mist had described and they sat together talking until the Northern Light Dance began. They laid down, side by side looking up at the magnificent light show happening in the sky. She had seen Aurora performing something similar. This was different; the colors were brighter and filled every inch of the sky, the sounds of the Valkyrie shields and wings filled the night air with clatter like the chirping of cicadas. There was only one thing she could think of that could possibly make this night more perfect. Reaching up she twined her fingers into the back of Hades’ hair and drew him down to her.


	15. Northern Lights (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades and Persephone enjoy the Northern Lights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possible Trigger Warning. Apollo mentioned.

In Olympus, Persephone had a sadness around her. Hades had thought of her as melancholic, and it was the first thing that drew him to her. Here, she was happy. Tonight she was glowing as she danced, scattering petals around the dance floor and filling the room with luminescent butterflies that fluttered around the crowd. He had never seen her look so beautiful as she did now, laughing with her dress hiked up to her knees as she stumbled through the ancient dances of the Norse lands. Hades' heart ached to see her so happy so far away from home.  
  
Breathlessly she pulled herself away from the crowd and skipped over to him barefoot skill holding her dress above her knees. Persephone smiled up at him, saying, "Mist told me where the best viewing areas will be, let's go claim our spot before we are forced to sit with Odin and his entourage."  
  
Persephone took him by the hand and led him out of the great hall. “We probably should sit with the king, Persephone,” he said, feeling it was his duty to attempt decorum.  
  
“Probably,” she agreed, “but is that what you actually want to do? Or would you rather spend the rest of the evening alone with me?”  
  
A flurry of indecent thoughts ran through his mind and croaked out his reply, “with you, of course.”  
  
They walked past the field dotted with blankets and cushions for viewers and into a garden, “I’ve only seen the Northern Lights one other time, and Aurora has nowhere near the abilities as they Valkyrie do. All those goddesses flying around – it fills the sky, you will love it.” Hades paused in his musing, and remarked, “We just passed the viewing area.”  
  
“We passed the public viewing area. I told you, Mist told me where to watch. She always sets up private areas for people," Persephone said, blushing.  
  
“Little Goddess,” Hades said, mind racing. _Get your shit together, she told you her ground rules. This is not what it looks like_. “Did you ask your friend to cover a garden in fog to be alone with me?”  
  
"It was her idea, actually–I just agreed," she said, squeezing his hand as they reached the fog's edge.  
  
“How are we going to see the lights if we are covered in fog?”  
  
"It's only an illusion. Once we're inside, we will have a full view of the sky. We can see out, but no one can see in," she said, taking a step into the fog and pulling him behind her.  
  
The mist did seem to disappear as soon as they passed through it, revealing a small flower garden that likely belonged to Frigg, Odin’s wife. In the center were blankets and cushions.  
  
"What will people think if they know we've snuck out for a private viewing, Kore?" He asked, still attempting to control his desire for her. She had no idea that many of the things she does innocently are easily misinterpreted with nefarious intent. _Or did she_?  
She turned around and glared up at him, “probably the same thing they figure we did last night. They aren’t prudes here, and they don’t gossip like the Olympians. Mist has a dozen other viewing areas like this set up, and she said that there would be plenty of people coupling in the open in the field we passed.” She rolled her eyes, “and I do not have any voyeuristic inclinations. I think I would enjoy myself better if we don’t have couples 10 feet away from us fornicating.”  
"Valid point, I forgot about that when I was here last. In fact, according to a message I received a few months later, I was told Thor was conceived that evening." He shook his head in attempts to rid himself of that memory. "I wish I had managed not to remember that...it took centuries to stop seeing Odin's ass in my peripheral vision."  
  
Persephone snorted with laughter. "Oh gods, see. I have no desire to see Odin's backside." They sat down, reclining against the cushions while they waited for the show to begin. "So why were you here before? When was it?"  
  
"Oh, it was around a thousand years ago now, give or take a century," he began, and Persephone snorted. "Hey, I'm old. As I was saying, I was here to discuss how to alter my borders. Mostly I came here to learn how to establish a new region of the Underworld, but I knew that Freya's realm was constant light, and Hel's realm was constant dark. I needed to know how to make it one or the other in the Underworld."  
  
“It used to be day and night there? Why did you make it night?” She asked curiously.  
  
Hades smiled, “I needed to ban Apollo from my realm, and it was difficult considering his job. It made sense to come here and discover all I could.”  
  
He looked down at her again and she looked cold, so he unclasped his cloak and invited her to join him underneath it.  
  
“Why did you ban him?”  
  
"I will tell you, but this is another one of those things that few people know," she nodded at him, and he continued, "I had several of my female subjects come to me with accusations against him. I brought up the matter with Zeus, but he wouldn't do anything about it. He said that the word of nymphs didn't hold up against an Olympian, and he wasn't going to risk Apollo's reputation by addressing it."  
  
“That’s why you banned him?” she asked quietly.  
  
“I am a king. I have a responsibility to protect my subjects, and I had no authority to punish him. My brother wouldn’t do it, he wasn’t much better at the time. I think Zeus has learned his lesson; I hope he's not like that anymore. But I wasn't going to risk anyone within my realm because he doesn't know how to take no for an answer," he said, feeling awkward to tell her this. She had asked, though, and he had already decided that he would answer any of her questions that wouldn't be a risk to her safety.  
  
“You’re a good king, thank you,” she said and stretched up to kiss him on the jaw.  
  
He cupped the back of her head and kissed her temple, "that doesn't make me a good king. I should not be praised for respecting women; that should be expected of everyone. I had the power to give them protection, but not justice."  
  
They were quiet for a long time, and then the drums began heralding the start of the performance. _Now or never old man_.  
  
"Sweetness, I've been keeping a secret from you," he whispered, trying hard to appear serious, which was difficult when she looked up at him with big worried eyes. He reached into the sash of his chiton and pulled out his glasses and put them on. She laughed and kissed him.  
  
"You look so handsome, though!" She said, making him blush, then she made a funny face at him. "Is that why you wear sunglasses when you drive, even in the Underworld? Because you don't want people to know you need glasses?"  
  
Hades barked with laughter, “absolutely.”  
  
The Valkyrie began their dance, reenacting famous battles in history. Lights reflected off their shields, causing the sky to erupt into a storm of luminous color. A sea of blue, pink, and green lights danced across the horizon to the sounds of the Valkyrie battle cries. It was beautiful, the only thing more stunning was the look on Persephone's face as she watched with tearful wide-eyed wonder.  
  
She looked up at him smiling and ran her fingers through his hair, beckoning him down to kiss her. He obliged with a short tender kiss. She held him to her with a series of sweet little kisses that tugged at his lips and silently invited him to deepen their embrace. He felt dizzy with wanting her. He wasn't overwhelmed by her scent, she still smelled like the garden around them, sweet and fresh. He could not deny his need for her, the desire to discover every inch of her body, the yearning to be engulfed by her.  
  
She moaned at his touch, taking his wrist and led him to her breasts. They were perfect: full, round, and unbound by undergarments. Only a goddess could manage to have such large perky breasts without the need to be supported. _I need you to stop me, Little Goddess_ , he thought as he eased them to lay on their sides facing each other. He kissed her neck and shoulders, encouraged by her soft sighs of pleasure and the gentle luminescence of the butterflies lighting on her flesh being reabsorbed into her. She was not at risk of disappearing from his arms tonight. _Oh, Sweetness, I need you to stop me_ , he thought again.  
  
Hades' resolve was tested immediately as Persephone brought her mouth to his in a fervent kiss as she guided his hand down her side, highlighting the open side of her chiton dress. Normally the side would be folded over itself, creating the illusion of being closed. Their embrace must have pulled the sides apart, revealing a long stretch of pink skin that exposed more as it progressed down her body. She placed his hand on the crest of her hip as she hooked her leg over his, exposing her round ass and driving all thought from his head for a moment.  
  
If he were a weaker man, or if he had her before, he would have taken her there on the spot. Overcome with the selfish desire for her, he would have taken his pleasure and taken care of her needs as an afterthought. He was not so weak, nor that selfish. He withdrew his hand from her hip and cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead for a long pause.  
  
"Hades, I want this," Persephone spoke quietly but without trepidation and laced her fingers into his hair and drew his mouth to hers. Hades' resolve shattered, matching her kiss and pressed his body against hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to my beta readers: Emma, Rina, Spring, and Moony!


	16. Northern Lights (part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades and Persephone enjoy the Northern lights. Deep Conversations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning, I will block area, don't read between lines if you are sensitive.

Persephone had been raised to believe that sexual desire was ugly and wrong. She had been groomed to join the Eternal Maidens since she was a little girl, and became an unofficial member after her first monthly cycle at thirteen. Self-exploration was not only lectured against but impossible because she was never allowed time to herself. It had never even occurred to her that it was healthy to engage in masturbation until Freya assigned it for homework. Freya's reasoning was that she could not be expected to reclaim herself as a fully autonomous sexual woman without being aware of her body. The first few times were awkward, she felt foolish. Eventually, she grew to enjoy her personal time, and most days, she found a quiet time to acknowledge her needs. It also helped to control pheromones; it was difficult to keep them in check when you are perpetually unsatisfied.  
  
Now, Persephone was shocked to find herself quivering in the aftershocks of her climax. After months of self-discovery, she had never actually managed to have an orgasm until Hades used his mouth to shatter her misconceptions of pleasure.  
  
Hades chuckled softly as he moved to hold her in his arms and whispered, “I told you, my love, you weren’t there yet.”  
  
Persephone flushed with embarrassment as he kissed her neck and shoulders.She remembered claiming to have finished, only for him to softly growl that she had not, and voice his intent to taste her desire.  
  
“Thank you for proving me wrong,” she hummed happily.  
  
“My pleasure,” he said between caressing kisses.  
  
“Speaking of _your pleasure_ …" Persephone said, working at the folds of his chiton. Hades grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth, nipping her wrist lightly in rebuke. Persephone pouted, making Hades laugh.  
  
“That’s all you are getting tonight, Little Goddess. I will not take your virginity and leave you in the morning,” he said as he continued to move his kisses and nips up her arm.  
  
  
_________________________  
Persephone wondered if now an appropriate time was to tell him that she was not a virgin. She knew that she would tell him eventually, but she didn't want him to think of her as a victim or attempt to act on her behalf. It would be better to wait until she was prepared to make her stand against Apollo.  
  
She also figured that sharing that information would not change his feelings about taking the next step when he would be leaving in less than twelve hours. However, she wanted to reciprocate his affections, she wanted to bring him pleasure.  
  
In the end, it took very little persuasion, “if we are going to be equals in this relationship, then I should have equal opportunity to give you pleasure. There are other ways I can satisfy you.”  
_________________________  
  
  


Persephone knocked on Hades' door after changing into her pajamas and grabbing a light meal from the kitchen. It had been hours since she had a decent meal because of the lack of vegetarian food at the banquet. They sat on the floor, picnic-style eating and getting to know each other better.  
  
“Favorite food?” Hades asked.  
  
"Cheese, any cheese. Unless you're talking about desserts, then it’s chocolate cake. You?" She said, and ate the last piece of cheese.  
  
“Pizza, homemade in a firebrick oven. Favorite Dessert would have to be pomegranate ice cream,” he said. “What’s your favorite flower?”  
  
“Ugh, you can’t ask the Goddess of Spring what her favorite flower is! That’s the same as asking which dog is your favorite. How could I possibly choose?” She paused, thinking, “hmm, the best I can do is my top 5. Pink roses – obviously, speedwells, irises, mallows, and pomelias.”  
  
“I only know what two of those are, will you show me?” He asked, and Persephone conjured each of the flowers all her favorite colors.  
  
“These ones are mine, what are they?”  
  
Persephone blushed, Hades had pointed to the large blue flowers that tended to manifest in her hair when he was around, "wild blue irises. And before you ask, these ones are speedwells." She said, naming the small four-petalled flowers that she commonly wore in whites and blues.  
  
“Were you always able to control the dead? Is that your primary power?” She asked.  
  
“The pomegranate seeds give me the ability to control shades, at least at first. I need my bident to compel problematic shades who have not been judged. Most of the dead I have power over because they believe I do,” he explained.  
  
"No, my original ability was creating diamonds and other gems. I can also cause localized earthquakes – typically not on purpose. And I have some control over volcanoes. I can calm an unstable volcano, but I can't prevent it from erupting if it's reached a certain threshold."  
  
"So, you work well under pressure," she said, nodding to herself.  
  
"What makes you say that?" He asked, sounding genuinely curious. He had an odd look on his face that she could not identify.  
  
"All those things – except the dead people stuff– have to do with pressure. Volcanoes and earthquakes can happen naturally, and they're part of the same areas of science theory. It's all about pressure building up under the surface of the world." She explained. "Gems stones are formed naturally under the surface over millions of years because of the minerals present, along with heat and pressure. Not to mention that diamonds are the hardest substance in the world we have yet to discover. The thing they all have in common is pressure. It makes sense, I think you put a lot of pressure on yourself."  
  
"Have I told you that you are the most glorious creature in existence?" He asked, leaning over their picnic spread and kissed her. She blushed, and he added, "How do you see the best in me, even when – especially when I cannot?"  
  
“I guess for the same reason you saw me as powerful and not just someone who can make flowers,” she said, feeling bashful.  
  
“You did create a forest in Tartarus, I doubt your mother could do that,” he said. “Tell me something about yourself no one else knows.”  
  
"I don't have a father, and I supposed technically I don't have a mother, not biologically anyway. I grew from a rose bush," she told him, and when he did not react as she expected, she added, "why aren't you surprised to hear that?"  
  
“Zeus mentioned it when we were interviewing Demeter,” Hades confessed. “I don’t see how that is possible though, even Zeus was unsatisfied with what your mother had told him.”  
  
“Well, I don’t know everything because I wasn’t born – grown – created?” Persephone struggled to find the proper word for her origin, “I guess it doesn’t matter what you call it. Would you like to hear the story she told me?”  
  
Hades' eyes glistened as he said, “I would love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Beta Readers are the best: Emma, Rina, Spring, and Moony.


	17. Bedtime Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demeter tells a young Kore a bedtime story.

“Sweet Pea, are you ready for your bedtime story,” Demeter asked her daughter, climbing into bed next to her and wrapping her up in a warm blanket.  
  
"Will you tell me the one about Sisyphus, and how King Hades punished him for his wickedness?" The six-year-old Kore asked with wide-eyed wonder.  
  
“Why do you like that story so much?” Demeter asked with a hint of laughter.  
  
"King Hades sounds so scary, and I like scary stories. And Sisyphus was a bad king of mortals, I think he deserved it." Kore said, wrinkling her nose and sticking her tongue out playfully to her mother.  
  
“Hades is a good king, and the best of his brothers, but you should always be very careful around him. He doesn't like to be defied, and you represent everything he is not. He is the keeper of the dead, but you represent life. We have no idea how your powers will grow. Please, Kore, you need to stay away from him,” Demeter said, feeling uneasy at the idea of what would happen if Hades ever knew her secret.  
  
As though Kore could sense her mother's train of thought, she said, "Ok, momma, will you tell me the story of how I grew from a rose?"  
  
"That story again? Ok, if you insist, now close your eyes, and I will tell you." Demeter said, brushing the hair from her daughter's eyes affectionately.

> I spent the first 500 years of my life fighting in the great war between the old Titans and us Gods, it was not a time to bring a child into the world. We had no idea what kind of world would exist if we lost. There was a prophecy that we would be victorious, but I could not risk bringing life into an uncertain world.  
>    
>  When the war was over, it took us all many centuries to heal our bodies and our hearts. War can make us do horrible and wicked things to each other, and there were so many things that I wished I could unsee or undo. I spent a thousand years in penance for my part in the war, and worked hard to make sure the new mortals had all the grain and crops they needed to feed themselves.  
>    
>  Remember how I told you that King Cronos ruled over the Titans and Gods with fierce tyranny? Well, he was good to the mortals. They called it the Golden Age, and they were treated like prized possessions. They did not need for anything, they had warmth, food, and the pleasure of each other. When King Zeus took over, he was resentful of the lives they had been given, when our lives had been wrought with pain and trials. He made them suffer as we had. Many died, and those who lived were cold and starving. Prometheus gave them fire and was punished for it, forced to an eternity of torture. I did not want the same fate, so I asked King Zeus if I may dedicate my life to teaching the mortals how to feed themselves, and to help them by bringing into existence crops for them to cultivate. The king was hesitant, but I told him that I would make it hard work, they would toil all year long, and that I would require the mortals to make half of their harvest offerings to the gods. He agreed.  
>    
>  I spent a thousand years teaching the mortals, and when they became lazy and indulgent, or they attempted to lessen their offerings, I would punish them for their foolishness by bringing famine or blight to their crops. I cared for the mortals, but it is important to remember that to be harsh in your teachings is a way to show your love.  
>    
>  When the mortals accepted their way of life, and I no longer needed to punish their insolence, I began to yearn for a child of my own. I had given up the touch of men, as a fertility goddess, I had seen the worst of men. Their lust and greed and infidelity turned me away from them, and I vowed to never lay with a man again. I began to search for a way to have a child without a man's seed; after all, if I was able to create bountiful crops, what would stop me from creating a child born of purity?  
>    
>  Then I had a dream, and in my dream, I was visited by the Mother of all Gods. She was not my mother, but she was called that because she brought upon the curse of women, the blood we shed in our monthly cycle. This allows for Goddesses and human women to have children without divine intervention. The Mother told me to seek an oracle who would share with me a prophecy, and once I accepted the prophecy, I would be given trials.

  


"What was the prophecy, Momma?" Kore asked, she always asked, but Demeter vowed to never share this with her daughter. She would spend her life assuring it never happened.  
  
"The prophecy does not matter, Kore, a prophecy does not guarantee it will happen. To speak of it would set things in motion to become self-actualized."

> So I searched for almost 400 years to find the Oracle, and once I heard the prophecy, I spent 100 years deciding if I would make such a risk. Then I decided that I would take on the trials and vow to protect my child from the possible fate she would face. I knew that I could love you and protect you and keep you my sweet little Kore-Cobb.

Demeter tapped Kore on the nose and kissed her forehead.

> I traveled to a far land with many dangers to speak again with the Oracle and told her that I was ready to accept the prophecy, but that I would not let it come into fruition. Then I was given my trials.  
>    
>  I was told to walk the entire land of Greece barefoot until I bled. I must mark the spot where my ichor met the soil, for that is where you would grow. Next, I was told to plow an acre of land with the spot I marked as the center three times without the aid of god, man, or beast. Once the field was prepared, I had to make a second journey to a dangerous land to find a plant with sacred seeds.

  


“What kind of seed was it, momma?” Kore asked every time.  
  
“What kind of seed do you think it was?” Demeter always replied. She would never share this with her daughter. The truth of it was too much to admit.  
  
“I think it was probably a rose seed. I was born from a rose bush, so it has to be a rose seed, right momma?” Kore said knowingly.  
  
“You have a very rational way of thinking,” Demeter said affectionately and tapped her on the nose again.  


> I secreted away the seed from the ruler of the land where it had grown and brought it back to Sicily, where the field laid waiting. There was magic around where the seed had grown. There were barriers to protect it from leaving, as all sacred gardens have, so I had to put the seed under my tongue so that it wouldn't be detected. I had to be careful not to swallow, all would be lost if I had.  
>    
>  Still barefoot, I returned to Sicily and bought 100 bull cattle on the way, herding them back to the field thrice plowed. Still holding the seed in my mouth, I tied each bull to a stake driven into the ground, making a perimeter within the field. Then I sacrificed all 100 cattle on the shortest day of the year, collecting their blood in oil jars and building each one a pyre for sacrifice. I had to work quickly to complete the task in time to light the pyres when the solstice began to wax, heralding the lengthening of the days.  
>    
>  I was told that I must guard the field and fires as they burned because the smell of roasting flesh would draw hungry mortals who had grown weak during the winter. I could not allow the morals to feast, I kept them away, and I was forbidden to use my magic, only my pitchfork to shoo them off. I could not spill their blood either. The fires burned for three days and for three days stayed away, protecting my field and my sacrifices. Once the pyres had smoldered out, I buried the bones into the ground where they laid broken and charred from the fires.  
>    
>  I returned to the center of the field where my ichor had fallen and took the seed from my mouth and placed it into the soil. I watered the spot with the blood from the cattle, and I could not let a drop of anything else touch the spot, not even my own sweat or tears. I protected the field for twelve weeks, I did not leave, I did not eat, I did not sleep. I paced the field and watched the plant grow. I weeded the field by hand on my knees, keeping it clean from all impurities. Still, I was allowed no magic. When it rained, I would shield the spot where the plant began to grow and mature. It got larger, growing into a beautiful rose bush with small pink buds popping up all over the place, and in the center was a rosebud that kept growing larger and larger until it was the size of a woman's body ripe with child.  
>    
>  Then on, the first day of spring, the bush began to flower. At first, it was the tiny buds that speckled throughout the leaves. Then slowly, the large bud began to open until there you were, staring up at me with your big wide eyes and pink as the flowers it bore.  
>    
>  I took you in my arms and promised to protect you forever, that I would never let anything bad ever happen to you. I built your temple over the spot in the field, marking it forever as the most sacred spot in all of Sicily.  
>    
> 

Demeter smiled down on her sleeping daughter and sighed. Then she prayed to Gaia, _Oh please, let me be enough to protect her._


	18. Getting his shit together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades is working on getting his shit together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Atropos** is one of the Fates, and the only one not mentioned by name in the original comic. Her sisters are Lachesis and Clotho.
> 
>  **Aeacus** in myth was one of the three judges in the Underworld. In myth he was the son of Zeus, and the King of the island of Aegina. He was a just and pious ruler and when he died he went to Underworld and became one of the judges. _In my story_ , he is a minor Underworld God of undetermined parentage and works at Underworld Corp supervising shades.
> 
>  **Ascalaphus** in myth was a daimon who was Hades orchardist. _In my story_ , he is a god who resides in the Underworld. He is still Hades orchardist, and his job is to care for the Pomegranate Trees.
> 
>  **Dodona** is an Oracle in Greek Mythology who is not linked to Apollo.
> 
> My beta readers are awesome! Thank you all!

Hades was the happiest he had ever been in his life, and simultaneously miserable. He was in love with an incredible Goddess who loved him in return. Parting from her on his first trip to Asgard was excruciating for both of them. They had spent a beautiful evening under a brilliant sky, reaching a new physical intimacy, but his favorite part of the night had been their conversations after returning to Fólkvangr. They had spent time talking over a late-night meal and then held each other the same way they had in the Furies house.  
  
They talked about everything; mostly, she asked him questions about his life. He shared as much as he could, always explaining what had to stay secret and what he was unwilling to discuss yet. She was understanding and sometimes critical of his motivations for things. Persephone was continually challenging him, and he should be upset by that, but he was not – he loved that she called him on his bullshit. _She will make a great queen_.  
  
What he could not shake was the story of her origin. Something about her story did not make sense. He could not quite put his finger on it. That is why he found himself in the Fates Division of Underground Corp.  
  
“Aidoneus, are you here to return the tape we sent you last March and bring us that wine you promised?” Lachesis said without looking up at him as he approached the desk.  
  
"Erm, n-not exactly," he said nervously. The Fates always made him feel young and foolish. They were ancient and intimidating.  
  
“Don’t think that being a King will get you out of the fines for overdue materials,” she said, managing to look up at him, and making him feel like he was five years old again.  
  
"I'll get those to you tomorrow," he said, shifting slightly, "I have a question for you. Are prophecies public access? I mean, if I know that a prophecy was said to a certain individual, do I need them to sign a consent form? Do I need the Oracle too?"  
  
“Prophecies usually fall under the Olympian Openness Decree, not all though. Do you know the Oracle?”  
  
"No, I only know the recipient and an approximate time when it was delivered," he said and explained what he knew.  
  
“Still curious to learn about your queen?” Hades froze at the statement, feeling his heart drumming in his ears.  
  
“Clotho! You know better than to speak of such things!” Lachesis scolded her sister.  
  
Clotho rolled her eyes and went back to viewing the film she was pulling forth into existence from her body, “we all know he saw it for himself. It should come to no shock to anyone – except maybe our future queen.”  
  
Hades cleared his throat and smiled nervously, “does this mean I can have the tape?”  
  
“Dodona?” Lachesis asked.  
  
“Dodona,” Clotho nodded.  
  
"Definitely, Dodona," Atropos agreed.  
  
“We will have it for you after you visit your exiled queen in December,” Lachesis said.  
  
"That's months away! Wait—I wasn't planning on going there," Hades said, confused.  
  
"Now, you are! Go before I change my mind." Lachesis said, dismissing him like an errant schoolboy.  
  
Hades left the Fates Division and pulled out his phone.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________  
  
To: Aster, Personal Assistant of Hades, King of the Underworld  
From: Hades, King of the Underworld  
Re: Priority 3 – Important/Non-urgent  
  
___________________________________________________________________________  
  
Aster,  
  
Please check my schedule to arrange for a 3-day weekend in December. Ideally, around the Norse Yule Holiday. Must not interfere with any essential judgment days.  
  
Schedule meeting with Aeacus (1 hr)  
Agenda: Promotion – expansion of duties  
Attendees: Aeacus, Hecate, Hades, Aster  
____________________________________________________________________________

“What in creation has gotten into you, Hades?” Hecate asked, following Hades into his office after the meeting with Aeacus.  
  
Hades went to his bar stand and poured himself a drink and offered one to Hecate, who refused, "You have been on my case for centuries about sharing some of my duties with others. Aeacus was on the shortlist you gave me."  
  
"Yes, and it's great that you are easing up on your micromanaging, but why all of a sudden?" She asked, eyeing him suspiciously.  
  
“It has come to my attention that I put a lot of pressure on myself and others. I’m attempting to ease up a little,” Hades said nonchalantly.  
  
“ _Right_ ,” she said, drawing out the word, “how often are you planning on going to Asgard?”  
  
Hades looked up at her from his seat, annoyed, "I was thinking quarterly, except for March for obvious reasons."  
  
“I’m happy for you, truly, but how long are you going to be able to keep this up?” Hecate asked, rolling her eyes at his shrug. “Look, you’ve been extra irritable lately. You’ve gone through 15 PAs in the same number of weeks.”  
  
“Aster seems to be working out fine,” Hades said defiantly.  
  
“Only because I poached her from Ascalaphus specifically because she is a flower nymph and would never attempt to seduce you because of her loyalty to a certain exiled goddess," Hecate said, finally taking a seat.  
  
"Exactly, I think she will do just fine. She's very competent too, she's downloaded an app on my phone that lets me identify flowers," Hades said, pulling out his phone and showing Hecate who waved it away without looking.  
  
“What I want to know is how long you are going to keep her in exile.”  
  
“She wants to finish her degree, and she is enjoying her lessons with Freya,” he said and loosened his tie slightly. “She knows she can return as soon as she wants to. I will continue to visit her whenever possible until she decides to return.”  
  
“ _Right_ ,” she said, again drawing out the word.  
  
“I’ve got a question for you: Have you ever heard reference to sacred seeds?”  
  
"Nothing beyond the obvious, why?" Hecate said, and her eyes glowed yellow in curiosity.  
  
"No reason, just wondering." He leaned back in his chair, tapping his chin with his pen, lost in thought.


	19. Drosera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone is having a bad day until she gets an unexpected visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Drosera** is a type of carnivorous plant. Also known as a Sundew. They can be found in many different climates including Scandinavia.

Persephone was having a bad day. A terrible day. She was pretty sure that she had failed her practical exam in her Principles of Evolution and Adaptations. She had spent all semester working on developing a new plant that would thrive in the numerous bogs that speckled the landscape in the mortal realm near Asgard. Her results were – disastrous.  
  
Not to mention she was feeling homesick, and tomorrow was the Winter Solstice. Most Greeks and Olympians did not celebrate, but she and her mother always had. After all, it was the day that Demeter had begun her trials, which resulted in Persephone's existence. If felt wrong to be so far away from home.  
  
She consoled herself by eating chocolate cake in bed while reading her cache of letters. There was a soft knock on her door. Persephone sniffled, wiping away her tears and said, "I'd like to be alone, please."  
  
"Ok, I just wanted to let you know I am here."  
  
"Hades?" Persephone said, jumping from the bed, bounding to the door. Standing on the other side was Hades, looking tired and concerned as she launched herself into his arms.  
  
"Sweetness, have you been crying?" He asked, stepping into her room and closing the door behind him. Hades held her tightly as she broke into renewed sobs and gently sat her on the bed, kneeling in front of her. "Why are you so sad, my love?"  
  
"I've had a terrible day," she sniffled and smiled through her tears, "I've been feeling homesick."  
  
"Do you want me to take you home?" He asked, still holding her tightly.  
  
Persephone was touched by the offer. She spent a few incoherent minutes trying to explain why she could not go home. It all boiled down to that she felt like it would be giving up on herself if she left. She had been learning so much. Being homesick and failing an exam was not a good enough reason to abandon her studies. Hades cleared off her bed, and they laid down on her bed, snuggled tightly. Soon they had both fallen asleep.  
  
Persephone woke up first and extricated herself from the tangle of arms and legs that was her and Hades in her tiny bed. Hades was tall for her bed. She smiled at how even when he was sleeping, there was a serious look on his face. She imagined he was probably born serious. It was late and they had managed to sleep through dinner. Persephone had not slept well the last few nights, staying up studying, and Hilda was harvesting spirits from a recent battle. She still did not sleep well on her own. It was no surprise to her that Hades had fallen asleep. He had arrived at her room in the early afternoon, which means he had left the Underworld late last night. He probably had not slept since Wednesday night.  
  
Hades woke soon after, stretching out with audible cracks and groans, "your bed is tiny."  
  
She snickered, "well, I am a little goddess, I don't need a big bed. Besides, I rarely sleep in here."  
  
"Still sleeping with – Hilda?" he asked, it took him a moment to search his mind for the Valkyrie's name.  
  
"Kara and Mist, too. They all share a giant bed. It is almost the size of Eros' bed," she said, realizing too late that could undoubtedly be taken out of context.  
  
"Kore, are you in the habit of sharing a bed with Gods?" He asked, and to her relief, his tone was teasing.  
  
"I'm in the habit of not sleeping alone. I think I've slept alone maybe 20 times in my life, and that has only been in the last year. I blame it on my mother; I slept in her bed until I was 13, and then with the nymphs until I moved to Olympus. In fact, the first time I ever slept alone was at your house."  
  
"Really," he asked, amused. Persephone nodded with a smile. "I promise you will never sleep alone at my house again."  
  
"Good." She rummaged through her dresser, grabbing some clothes.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Clothes," she said, holding them up and thinking to herself, _isn't that obvious_? "We've missed dinner, and I am hungry. And we have already determined my bed is too small for both of us."  
  
They made their way to the kitchen and put together a simple meal of leftovers and a charcuterie board before returning to Hades' room. His room was bigger this time. During his last visit, there was nothing more than a bed and desk in addition to the private bathroom and closet. This room included those but also had a small seating area with a TV. Persephone told him about her finals and her disastrous exam.  
  
"You created a plant that eats bugs?" Hades said, laughing, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but that's amazing."  
  
"My professor called it macabre and an abomination," she said, laughing with him. "I worked really hard too."  
  
"Oh, Sweetness, I'm sure you did better than you think," he said reassuringly. "Can I see it?"  
  
"I can't right this moment, I need soil to do it, it's – _sticky_ ," she said, making a funny face.  
  
Hades laughed again, nearly choking on an olive. "I cannot believe that _you_ , a goddess who has never eaten meat, made a _plant_ that eats bugs."  
  
"Everyone eats bugs, Hades," she said, rolling his eyes and laughing at his disgusted look. "Anything with flour in it has bugs. It is impossible to keep bugs out of the grains unless you are milling your own in single-use batches. Same with pepper if it's pre-ground, there are bugs in it. Your whiskey—bugs, wine—bugs."  
  
"Ok, you can stop, I get the point," he said. "Please, I would prefer to remain ignorant about bug parts in my food."  
  
"You're the one who eats animal flesh," she laughed, "that is gross. Ugh, I've watched the Valkyrie field dress their kill. _Ewww_ , that was gross. Honestly, if I were not already a vegetarian, that would have made me one. Did you know they have to cut the butt—"  
  
"I am completely aware of how to gut an animal, Sweetness. I have, in fact, done it many times myself. However, it is still not an appropriate dinner conversation," Hades said, taking a drink from his wine.  
  
Persephone rolled her eyes affectionately, and popped an olive in her mouth, "it is if you only eat plants. I never imagined you'd be a squeamish eater. I've seen you eat a steak that was barely cooked."  
  
"Good meat doesn't need to be cooked for long."  
  
"Good vegetables don't need to be cooked at all," she said, emphasizing the point by eating a cherry tomato. "Mmm, so good."  
  
"I've always wondered--and you are the expert on plants--are tomatoes a fruit or a vegetable?" He asked, eating his own tomato.  
  
"By definition, a fruit is the edible plant structure of a mature ovary of a flowering plant. It's a fruit. Cucumbers, eggplants, and peppers as well." She said, pointing to each of the items on their platter. "Oh, olives too. Actually, the only plant here that isn't a fruit is the celery."  
  
After dinner, Persephone asked, "What's new in the Underworld?"  
  
"I've got a new PA, Hecate was tired of the temps and found a permanent replacement for – my last PA," Hades finished awkwardly.  
  
Persephone mirrored the awkwardness pushing her hair behind her ear, "so Minthe doesn't work for you anymore?"  
  
Hades looked surprised, "I guess I never did tell you, did I? I fired her on the day I found out about – _everything_."  
  
"Because of Tartarus?" She asked, unsure if she should feel relieved or guilty.  
  
"No, I would have if I hadn't already fired her. It's complicated – but it all boils down to that I should have never allowed her to stay on as my PA."  
  
"That makes sense. I guess I still feel guilty about everything that happened between us while you were with her," Persephone said, chewing on her bottom lip.  
  
"Please, don't. Look – I was a fool, and that should all be on me," Hades said, taking her hand. "You did not make my decisions for me. You did not make her decisions. You did nothing wrong; you are not responsible for how other people behave."  
  
"Hades, we nearly kissed three times when you were with her. Two of those times I knew you were together," Persephone said. She refused to think of herself as an innocent party in their breakup.  
  
"Would you feel better if you knew that we had broken up – well, mostly-- the night we had dinner at Zeus'?" He asked.  
  
She looked at him, bashfully, "a little. I feel better about your behavior, but _mostly_ isn't the same thing." She took a deep breath and said, "I know we said that we weren't going to wait for each other, but I would be very hurt if you did that to me."


	20. Confessions and Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades and Persephone make confessions and experience jealousy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Trigger Warning Chapter**  
>  Sensitive readers should stop reading at the dashed line and skip to the end notes. 
> 
> My beta readers are amazing people, and I appreciate all of you!

"I know we said that we weren't going to wait for each other, but I would be very hurt if you did that to me," Persephone said quickly, refusing to look at Hades.  
  
_I'm a fucking asshole. Have I already fucked this up? What can I even say to that_?  
  
"Kore, I feel the same way. I've been in a constant state of anxiety over it since September," Hades admitted wanting to pull her into his arms but not knowing if that was the right thing to do.  
  
Persephone squeezed his hand and let go, pulling her knees up and held herself with her head hiding between her knees, "me too, I was ok before that, but it's a lot harder since we were together that night. I know we didn't have sex, but that was a big step for me."  
  
"That was a turning point for me too. I don't have much experience with healthy relationships, but you like boundaries and ground rules. How about we figure this out together – what we need from each other, where we stand," Hades suggested, screaming in his head because of how badly he needed her in his arms. He hated watching her close herself off like this. She was open and honest, sharing her feelings, but she closed her body off to him. He couldn't even figure out where he could touch her right now without it being an invasion.  
  
"Will you hold me like you did on the ceiling?" she asked, peeking out from her knees, looking shy. Hades felt a rush of relief and agreed immediately.  
  
"I'll start since this was my idea," he said once they were comfortably entangled. "I love you, and I have made arrangements to visit you three times a year for as long as you want me to. I know it's not much, but it's as much time off I can reasonably take."  
  
"You will do that for me?"  
  
"Of course, gods, I would visit every weekend if I were able to. I'd take you home this instant if you asked me, but I understand that you want to be here."  
  
"I hate being away from home, but I am learning so much. In Olympus, everyone but you, make me feel like some b-list goddess with little or no impact. Here I am treated with respect, and they see I'm powerful. Did you know my plant powers are stronger than both Frigg and Freya's?"  
  
"I am not surprised, Little Goddess. You made a forest in Tartarus. I know I keep saying that, but you shouldn't have been able to. I'm still trying to figure out how you did it. Theoretically, it would be possible if we had worked together. I can't wrap my head around how you could bypass all the wards and barriers that should have prevented you from entering the fucking place. I've been looking, I have a whole team trying to figure it out."  
  
"That place was terrifying," She said with a shudder.  
  
"You didn't even come close to seeing what that place actually is. It looks like a tower from the outside, but it's actually an illusion. An empty shell of a building used to hide the realm. The lower you go, the worse it gets."  
  
"Is _he_ really at the lowest level?" Persephone asked quietly.  
  
"Yes." Hades' mouth went dry; it still did anytime he thought of Cronos. "I don't even want to think of what could have happened to you in that place. I need you to swear to me that under no circumstances will you ever enter that place again."  
  
"Don't worry, I never want to go back."  
  
Hades squeezed her tightly and took a deep, steadying breath. _Confession time. Please don't let this be the end_. "I have to tell you something that may upset you." Another deep breath, and he felt her body go rigid. "Between March and September, I had a few drunken one-night stands, but nothing even remotely flirtatious or sexual since I was last here."  
  
She was quiet for a long time, and Hades was screaming inside his head the entire time. **_Fuck, fuck, fuck…_** until she said, "ok."  
  
"Ok? Kore, I need you to say more than ok, especially if it is actually _not ok_."  
  
"Well, I don't like it. I don't know how many a _few are_ , which could affect how much I don't like it. At the same, I have no claim to you. I didn't think I would see you again until March. And I never expected you to be celibate for me; that was one of the first things I learned about you. It makes me feel jealous, but I don't really have the right to be jealous."  
  
“I think jealousy is something everyone feels unless they are entirely jaded or broken. I'm not going to lie, I find it very sexy that you are jealous," Hades said, trailing kisses from her mouth, across her jaw, and down her neck. "I would be jealous if I found out you had been with someone else. Knowing I could be your first – and if the Fates are kind, your only lover is a thrilling idea."  
  
_______________________________________________  
  
**Trigger Warning:** Sensitive Readers should not skip the rest of the chapter and go to endnotes.  
  
________________________________________________  
  
"Hades, I am not a virgin," Persephone said. Hades had not been expecting that; it hit him like a blow to the stomach, and he stopped kissing her neck when it registered in his brain.  
  
_What the fuck? I am a fucking moron. Seriously_?  
  
"I don't understand. You've only been out of TGOEM for four months, and I thought we just agreed that we've been together for three of them," he said, feeling anger and jealousy boiling within him. He moved her off his lap without looking at her and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, did you just immediately go out and fuck someone?"  
  
"No," she said defiantly, "and you have no right to be angry at me."  
  
"You don't get to tell me how I feel. I don't understand why – look, I get to be angry. I love you, and I thought you loved me. I don't understand why you would not choose me."  
  
"Because it wasn't my choice!" She shouted as she burst into tears and immediately pulled her knees to her chest. Her hair grew fast and long, shrouding her body from view as her sobs racked her body.  
  
_Fuck! You are the most insensitive bastard in creation. Fuck. Go to her, you fucking moron!_  
  
Hades was paralyzed by shock and redirected anger. He forced himself to move, kneeling in front of her, kissing the top of her head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You are right, I should not have gotten mad. I'm an asshole. Gods, Kore, please, I'm sorry. Don't shut me out."  
  
He wanted to hold her, take her into his arms, and never let go. Who would hurt her? The answer was too many people were capable of taking advantage of others. He hated that it happened to her here; Freya was supposed to protect her. _It's your fault for sending her here. It was your responsibility to keep her safe_.  
  
"Kore, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to tell, but I need to know if you have told Freya," he said, completely at a loss what to do. His King instincts kicked in, approaching it the same way he would if she _was_ one of his subjects. She was one of his subjects as long as she was in exile.  
  
"Yes, it's one of the first things I told her. That's why she made me start therapy right away," she whispered from underneath her cocoon of hair.  
  
Once again, Hades' brain took a few beats to catch up with her revelation, "are you telling me this happened before?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What can I do?"  
  
"Will you bring me my purse?" She asked, peaking out slightly from her hair. Hades got up and handed her what she needed and went to the bathroom sink to fill a glass of water before returning to her side on the floor. She blew her nose on a blue handkerchief with silhouettes of a dog who looked remarkably like Cerberus. _Oh, Sweetness_.  
  
"Nice handkerchief."  
  
Persephone squeaked and looked down, blushing, "I bought it for you, actually. On my way home from breakfast. I decided to keep it for myself."  
  
She shifted, sitting criss-cross, and started cutting her hair back into her standard pixie length. "Sorry about the petals."  
  
"Don't worry about the petals. They’re beautiful. They can invade every aspect of my life," he said, attempting to be charming and only sounded like a moron.  
  
"Sorry for shutting you out. I've been practicing this conversation for months, and none of them started with you being angry with me. A few ended that way," she said, looking at him sheepishly.  
  
"I am not angry with you. I was a jealous fool. I reacted instead of responded – I've been trying to work on that," Hades said, mussing the back of his hair feeling guilty. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"No, but I need to." She said flatly and took a deep breath. "I'm not going to share any details, it doesn't change what happened. I had only been in Olympus a couple of days, and besides Eros, you are the only one in Greece who knows. He blackmailed me into silence, he took pictures of me. That is why I left. I had finally found the courage to speak up and he reminded me about the pictures."  
  
"Who," Hades said, not able to keep his silence.  
  
"I found out he was dating one of my friends, and I told him I wouldn't keep my silence anymore. He threatened to release the pictures, and I panicked and ran."  
  
"Who?"  
  
She wiped away tears from her face. "I will tell you who on one condition. You will not take my justice from me. I will punish him as I see fit. I will ask for help if I need it, but you are not allowed to act on my behalf. I have been training for this, and I have a plan. Ok?"  
  
"Yes," he croaked and wiped his own tears away. _Fuck, why am I always crying around her? I need to be strong for her. Get your shit together_. "with exceptions—"  
  
"That's not what –"  
  
"Listen to my conditions first, please. One: I am bound as a king to punish him if he is one of my citizens. I cannot, no, I will not relinquish that right. Two: You will let me discreetly track down the photos and have them destroyed, all digital and physical copies."  
  
"If he finds out you know he will release those pictures."  
  
"He will do it eventually, regardless. I can have it done very discreetly, NDAs, shades, only my most trusted people."  
  
"I don't want you to see them."  
  
"I won't look at them. I want to _destroy_ them. I want to destroy _him_ , but I will leave that to you."  
  
"Deal."  
  
"Are you sure? My deals are binding. You cannot alter them," he warned her. "The last deal we made I didn't warn you. You still owe me a question."  
  
"I trust you."  
  
"It's a deal as soon as you tell me." He closed his eyes and took slow, steady breaths, waiting to hear the name in his mind. He knew already. Everything made so much more sense.  
  
"Apollo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Sensitive readers:** Hades reacts badly in the beginning because Persephone tells him she is not a virgin, but he quickly backtracks when he realizes the circumstances.


	21. Justice vs Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades and Persephone discuss justice and revenge. 
> 
> **Trigger Warning Chapter:** Nothing is discussed explicitly and Apollo’s name is not even mentioned out loud. But they talk about how he will be punished. They also discuss how mortals who committed rape are punished, and it is lacking… Very sensitive readers should scroll until the lines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Sisyphus** is a figure from Greek mythology who, as king of Corinth, became infamous for his general trickery and twice cheating death. He ultimately got his comeuppance when ~~Zeus~~ Hades dealt him the eternal punishment of forever rolling a boulder up a hill in the depths of the Underworld.
> 
>  **Tantalus** is a figure from Greek mythology who was the rich but wicked king of Sipylus. For attempting to serve his own son at a feast with the gods, he was punished by ~~Zeus~~ Hades to forever go thirsty and hungry in the Underworld despite being stood in a pool of water and almost within reach of a fruit tree.
> 
> Both of these kings were punished by Zeus in the original myth. But I have chosen to believe that it was Hades who chose their punishments. 
> 
> Freya is known in Norse Mythology for being the Goddess of **Seidr** , a form of pre-Christian Norse magic and shamanism. Odin and Frigg were also well practiced in Seidr. In many ways Freya was the Goddess of Norse Magic, like Hecate is the Goddess of Greek Magic - Although their other roles are very different.

Persephone felt as if there was a weight lifted off her chest in sharing her secret. She had come a long way in her healing, and she had found the confidence to tell him.  
  
She spoke the name, and when Hades opened his eyes, they glowed red. Not the way they usually did when he was feeling strong emotions, but the light traveled outwards. Persephone understood that the deal was sealed by magick. She knew only one other thing: She trusted Hades.  
  
"Hades?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What are you thinking?"  
  
"I wish you would have told me before. I wouldn't have sent you away. I would have—I would have—" Hades cut himself off.  
  
"You would have protected me and let me stay at your house until I felt comfortable going back to Artemis'. Which I never would, so we'd pretend like I wasn't living with you until we were outed somehow. There would be a lot of awkward situations at work. I'd always feel uncomfortable with you spending money on me. We would plot a hasty revenge. My mother would truly lose her mind. And we would have started having sex long before I was actually ready."  
  
“Obviously, you've thought about it."  
  
"I've spent the better part of a year thinking about it," she agreed and scooted closer to him. "Will you hold me again?"  
  
Hades spread his arms wide with a smile to match, and she climbed back into his lap, and they held each other. She loved sitting this way. It didn't feel sexual, especially with a pillow keeping her at a comfortable height. It made her feel close to him, safe, loved.  
  
"What is your plan? Will you tell me?" Hades asked after a long comfortable silence.  
  
She told him what she had planned. How she had been working with both Odin and Freya to learn the sorcery to work the magick to Persephone’s specifications.  
  
"That is brilliant, but he deserves worse. I will take care of the photos, then you can press charges on him. Even if you don't want it public, you can tell Zeus, and I will back you. He shouldn't be allowed to remain an Olympian," Hade said when she was done explaining.  
  
"We both know Zeus would never demote him. He's the God of Music, Medicine, Prophecy, and a dozen other things. He is a representation of the might of the kingdom, he even has the same coloring as Zeus," Persephone argued. "There is no way that he will take my word on it, even if you stand up. My plan is justice like the Eastern Pantheons."  
  
"Karma?"  
  
"Yes, that's the word. It's karmic justice," Persephone said proudly.  
  
"I still think he deserves worse, at least a few broken bones. Maybe a century in Tartarus. Turn him into poison ivy for a few years. _Give_ him poison ivy for a few years. C'mon, I know you have a wicked wrathful side. Use it." Hade suggested.  
  
Persephone reached up and kissed him softly, "I am not going to inflict violence. That would only lessen my justice. I will let the punishment fit the crime. Like you do."  
  
"Oh, I would destroy him if you allow me to, Little Goddess," he said, and Persephone knew he spoke the truth.  
  
"What if he was just some mortal and he raped some other mortal. How do you punish them?" She asked.  
  
"Honestly, it probably wouldn't show up in their scroll. Unless they felt guilty about it, or mortal law was involved. Or if the victim died, or got with a child," he admitted. "If the information is known and appropriately reported, they get the worst jobs. Digging mines, working in the sewers, things like that. Rarely Tartarus, but occasionally."  
  
_______________________________  
  
Sensitive Readers could **start** below this line. For context of the following, Persephone had asked how Hades punished rapists… which was not much because usually it wouldn’t show in their scrolls.  
_________________________________  
  


"See, you're not thinking of justice, you are thinking of revenge," Persephone said. "Besides, I was referring to how you punished other people like Sisyphus or Tantalus."  
  
"Well, bad kings get on my nerves. I'm not a fan of tyrants, or eating one's children," Hades said, and Persephone squeezed him tightly. "I've still got a lot of baggage."  
  
"I understand. I never drew the parallels. My mother never talked about the war, or what led up to it. It was never part of my studies. I know very little about it—so I don't think about," she tried to explain. She kept bringing up subjects that hit a nerve because of her ignorance.  
  
"None of us like to talk about it. Freya and Odin would be able to fill in the gaps in your education. They were there for most of it. When you come in March, I can send you books on the war if you want," he said.  
  
"I don't want to read anything that you don't want me to know," she said timidly.  
  
"Sweetness, if it's in a book, it's public knowledge. If you want to know about the war, I have books that are more accurate than most modern texts," he said and lifted her chin to meet her eyes. "Make no mistake, though, I did some horrible things."  
  
His eyes were a bright crimson, and it made her shiver at the intensity. Once again, she saw the dangerous god who lived within him. She was frightened, intrigued, and aroused. She kissed him, fervently arching into him. Hades grabbed her bottom, lifting her higher, his other hand pressed her body close to his as he yielded to the dominance of her kiss. His smokey scent changed, deepening into the rich cedar smell mingled with the tart smell of pomegranates, causing her blood to thrum through her veins in response. He broke the kiss, their chests heaving in unison pressed tightly to each other, and rested a kiss on her forehead. Persephone let out an exasperated sigh, and Hades chuckled.  
  
"Little Goddess, you are a magnet for danger," he said, lowering her back onto the pillow.  
  
"I know, I know, a perpetual state of wanting shit that's bad for me. What makes you so sure you are bad for me?" She asked defiantly. At first, she was excited by his restraint, understanding it was his respect for her that kept him in check. But she was getting annoyed with his self-control since that stolen kiss during his last visit.  
  
"I refuse to believe I am worthy of you," he said, and she saw in his eyes that he actually believed that. Persephone was irritated with his self-deprecation.  
"That's stupid."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I said _that—is—stupid_. You are a king, and the rest of Olympus sees me as a second-rate goddess. If anyone is unworthy here, it's me." Hades tried to interrupt, but she cut him off, "shhh, listen. I understand that you see me differently, and I love that, but it still doesn't change the fact that there is a distinct difference in our social status. **_And_** an hour ago you implied you wanted to be with me forever, now you're acting like you have doubts. I need you to figure out what you want and stop giving me whiplash."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Good! Now figure it out," she said and climbed out of his lap.  
  
"Where are you going?" He asked.  
  
"Nowhere," she said, looking down at him with a coquettish smile. "I am going to get undressed, you are going to watch me, and _you_ will decide if you are going to stop me from putting on my pajamas or if you are going to join me."  
  
She was rewarded by seeing him visibly gulp in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter I wrote the following:
> 
> "You would have protected me and let me stay at your house until I felt comfortable going back to Artemis'. Which I never would, so we'd pretend like I wasn't living with you until we were outed somehow. There would be a lot of awkward situations at work. I'd always feel uncomfortable with you spending money on me. We would plot a hasty revenge. My mother would truly lose her mind. And we would have started having sex long before I was actually ready."
> 
> This is not a critique of other fanfics, on the contrary, I have loved so many of my fellow authors' stories. This is just my way of emphasizing to you, the reader, that I am takinging a very different approach to the story.
> 
> Leave me your comments. I love to hear what you think.


	22. Wicked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone is a little wicked. They make a wager.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to any new readers who just started the series!
> 
> This one is short, sorry I don't have more to give you, but I think you'll like it!

"I need you to figure out what you want and stop giving me whiplash."  
  
Hades was busy screaming at himself, You are a fucking asshole. Gods, stop screwing this up, you know she will be your queen. _**That doesn't guarantee you will be happy together, look at Zeus and Hera.**_ _Get your shit together. Apologize!_ "I'm sorry."  
  
"Good! Now figure it out," she said, climbing out of his lap and standing in front of him.  
  
"Where are you going?" he asked, worried she would leave until he figured out how to make it up to her.  
  
"Nowhere, I am going to get undressed, you are going to watch me," _Oh, sweet Gaia._ She had a wicked little smile and bit her lip. _Oh fuck, I am in trouble._ "And _you_ will decide if you are going to stop me from putting on my pajamas, or if you are going to join me."  
  
_You are a 2000-year-old god with immeasurable power and self-control._ Hades swallowed a lump in his throat, and that little minx's smile widened. _You have self-control. You have self-control_ , he repeated to himself as she slowly grabbed the bottom on her sweater, lifting it off her body and exposing a tight white tank top. Gulp. _You have self-control_. The smell of vanilla filled the room as she dropped the garment to the ground and thumbed the waistband of her tight yoga pants and slowly tugged them down over her hips and down her legs. She never took her eyes from his, and no embarrassment or blush showed on her face. _How can a goddess so short have legs so long and still be perfectly proportioned?_ Gulp. His hands itched to touch her. _**You have self-control!**_ Her tank top was next, leaving her in only her underwear. Hades ceased to think from that point on. With one more audible gulp, he began to unbutton his shirt with trembling fingers.  
  


____

Hades woke in the morning from a dreamless sleep. He held Persephone tightly, relishing the feel of her body against his own. He debated whether to wake her and decided to let her sleep a little while longer.  
  
"I'm still annoyed with you, in case you were wondering," Persephone yawned and Hades chuckled. Of course she was. "I thought you kings had a reputation for debauchery and insatiable appetites. Yet you leave me wanting more."  
  
He smiled, "I was just following your rules, Little Goddess."  
  
"My rules including, _no fooling around_ , which we broke again," she countered and rested her chin on his chest, looking up at him.  
  
"My apologies, I will be sure to follow that one from now on," he said, teasing her. She glared at him, which made him laugh harder.  
  
"I rescind my rules. Besides, they were conditional on me being in exile. If I asked you to take me back, you would," Persephone stretched up and kissed him tenderly.  
  
"I would. I already offered to take you home. You will stay or leave on your terms," Hades said. "As for debauchery, you forget that I am on a path of self-improvement. No more smoking, less drinking, and no debauching you until I can have you in my bed every night."  
  
"That doesn't give me a great incentive to stay." She pouted.  
  
"Just for that, I refuse to take you home this weekend," he said. He wouldn't let Persephone leave her studies because of his own stupid rules.  
  
"Fine, then I will get a Ph.D. You will have to wait 10 years before I come home," Persephone said and crawled on top of him. Stretching her body flat against his chest with her fingers laced together under her chin, looking up at him. "10 very _long_ years of self-imposed celibacy."  
  
Hades chuckled and wrapped his arms around her curvy frame. "A small price to pay if my reward is an eternity with you. Besides, you'll never make it that long."  
  
"Oh, I have _excellent_ self-control. I can make it 10 years," Persephone said, looking smug.  
  
"Wanna make a wager? I bet you’ll cave long before I do."  
  
"Ok," she said, sitting up straddling his waist and stretching her arms up languidly, putting her gorgeous body on full display. _You wicked little minx_. "What are the terms?"  
  
"Hmm," he said, putting his hands behind his head and enjoying the view. "I bet that you cannot make it 10 years without sex. No dalliances, I am yours, and you are mine, and we share a bed naked every night we are in the same realm. Unless, as a woman, you are unable to be nude."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"What's your wager, Little Goddess?"  
  
"Umm," she said, looking upwards and chewing on her lip. "If I win, I get to name your next 10 dogs. But I will name them after flowers or ridiculous names like Princess and Tiddles."  
  
"Ok, and if I win, you will name _our_ next 100 dogs," Hades said and so no longer able to keep his hands to himself. He rolled over, taking her with him, and kissed her.  
  
"No fair!" She said between kisses, "now you're being just cruel."  
  
Hades growled and said, "I thought you approved of how I punish the wicked. And you, Little Goddess, are _very_ , _**very**_ _wicked._ "

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty writers please help me!!!! 
> 
> I live for your comments and Kudos.


	23. Acts of Stupidity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades deals with the pictures. Hades attends a Health and Safety meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very light trigger warning. Apollo is mentioned, but only in regards to the pictures.
> 
> Persephone has been at Norse Pantheon for one year. She is allowed 1 week a year in March to visit Olympus. Hades is counting down to when she arrives.

Hades was confident that he could track down the photos that Apollo had taken of Persephone. There were many benefits of owning Olympus' only tech company, but having complete access to every single digital footprint was one of them. There was no cell phone, computer, cloud server, or social media service that was not a subsidiary of Underworld Corp. If he chose, he could spy on any being in the realms. Normally he would never consider doing something so distasteful. Still, for his future queen, he would do anything short of freeing the Titans from Tartarus.  
  
When he returned to work Monday, after a long journey and no sleep, he called Hecate into his office. He explained the problem, and together they developed a strategy. The plan was simple: the first order of business was to form a group of shade hackers to plant malware onto Apollo's phone. Once they had access to his phone, the digital signatures of the pictures could be traced. Persephone had even kept her phone, cracked screen, and several generations old, which made it nearly effortless to track the exact photos taken without anyone ever having to look at them.  
  
"Thank the Gods she didn't throw that phone away!" Hecate said, "it would have been impossible for a shade to find the photos otherwise. We would have had to bring in a living being to look through the photos. The fewer people who know, the better our chances are."  
  
"Exactly, that is why you cannot say a word to anyone about what we are doing," Hades said, pinching the bridge of his nose.  
  
"Pictures aside, how are you handling the information?" Hecate asked, softening her tone.  
  
Hades glared, "not fucking great, to be honest. I feel like I should have been able to protect her. I don't even know when exactly it happened, and I've been racking my brain trying to figure out when. All I know is that it happened after I unintentionally took her home from the Panathenaea and before she tried to run at the end of March. That was only two weeks, and she said that she _finally_ found the courage to stand up to him."  
  
"That suggests that it happened within her first couple of days being here. There was nothing you could have done. She probably didn't even work here yet." Hecate paused, looking concerned, "you can't blame yourself for something you had no part in."  
  
"I should have warned her. She asked me why it was always night here when I took her home after the party. I could have told her the whole truth," Hades said, guilt boiling in his stomach.  
  
"Except you couldn't have. Zeus made it clear that you had the right to ban Apollo, but not to disclose the reason behind it," Hecate reminded him.  
  
Hades knew that she had a point but refused to accept that there was nothing he could have done to protect her. He wanted to protect her from the moment he saw her curled up in his back seat, surrounded by the roses he had thrown away earlier that night. He wondered if Aphrodite knew those roses were meant for Minthe, or if she just took advantage of several dozen discarded roses. Either way, that night changed him. It was a turning point between the sharp hard edges of Minthe and the soft, delicate love of Persephone.  
  
The prophecy still bothered Hades; he had yet to receive the tape from the Fates. He knew in his gut that he would receive the tape when the time was right for him to see the truth, that was how the Fates worked. After all, they knew everything. The anxiety of not knowing was too much to handle sometimes. This time he was determined to watch the tape with Persephone; he wouldn't make the same mistake again. Maybe the Fates knew and would hold the tape until March to keep the temptation away.  
  
_Three months. Three months to track the photos and destroy them. Three months until I tell Persephone what I suspect. Three months before this empty feeling is filled again._ Hades had gone centuries without feeling the comforts of love, and now he had grown accustomed to them. Three months seemed like a very long time.  
  


_One more day_ , Hades thought to himself as he made his way into Tower 1 on Thursday. Tomorrow Persephone would be arriving back in Olympus. He was an ancient god and not accustomed to impatience. When you've lived for over 2000 years, periods like days or hours seemed so insignificant. Usually, he would measure time in terms of decades and centuries instead of months and years, but being parted from Persephone had warped his sense of time. The days dragged on and hours seemed to stretch beyond the physics of time.  
  
Aster greeted him outside his office with a cup of coffee, just like he liked it, and briefed him on his morning schedule. Another day of bureaucratic monotony. Today was never going to end, and tomorrow would be even worse, waiting in anticipation for his love to arrive.  
  
"Another Health and Safety Meeting? Who got hurt this time?" Hades asked, putting his glasses on and peering at his schedule.  
  
"One of the newbies from Olympus fell into the River Styx while hooking up on the beach again," Aster said, rolling her eyes. "That's the third one since I started working here. I'm beginning to think that beings from Olympus want to work here just to have dangerous rendezvous in the deep reaches of the Underworld."  
  
"You're not wrong," Hades said, laughing at the absurdity of it. "Did they survive?"  
  
"Yes, it was a god this time. One of Circe's kids," Aster said, handing Hades the file. "He is a minor god. Ironically, he was supposed to be gifted with good luck."  
  
Hades barked with laughter, "apparently not. Don't forget to post his photo on the Wall of Poor Choices."  
  
The Beach was a common area for employees to meet for sexual encounters, and everyone knew it. It had become a sort of initiation among new hires, which resulted in the occasional death or injury from malicious shades, or falling into one of the rivers. The Wall of Poor Choices was started by Hecate a little less than a century ago, true to her reputation as an evil mastermind. On average half a dozen photos were added each year. Hecate had wanted to restrict access to the Beach to prevent injuries, but Hades found great amusement from the sheer stupidity of it. Therefore, nothing was done to avoid employees from hooking up on the banks of Styx. Instead, legal precautions were taken, and new hire contracts included a section forfeiting their rights to sue the company for injuries or death resulting from Acts of Stupidity.  
  
Hades returned to his office after the meeting bored him senseless, went directly to his chair, and rested his head in his hands. The only thing that Hades disliked about the frequent accidents were the Health and Safety meetings that followed. The meetings lasted an hour and consisted of one of Hecate's lectures. Hades would stare sternly at each of the department heads, pretending that anyone actually gave a fuck.  
  
"Well, that wasn't the greeting I was hoping for."  
  
"Fucking Fates!" Hades looked up, startled, and leaped from his seat. Persephone was giggling from her spot on one of the sofas in the seating area of his office with Cerberus sprawled out on her lap, receiving belly rubs and ear scratches. "Don't scare me like that, I'm an old man!"  
  
"Are you telling me that the Goddess of Spring successfully scared the fearsome Unseen One?" She teased from her seat and gently nudged Cerberus off her lap to rise. "You know, this is the first time in a while that I've been in your office and I wasn't in trouble."  
  
Hades closed the distance between them in record time, lifting her into his arms. "You are definitely in trouble, Miss Kore, you're not supposed to be here until tomorrow."  
  
"I couldn't wait," Persephone pouted, batting her eyelashes at him, "you're not mad, are you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need your feedback! Leave your comments below. What you love, hate, or questions.


	24. Return to Olympus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone returns to Olympus. Puppy piles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Persephone has been at Norse Pantheon for one year. She is allowed 1 week a year in March to visit Olympus. She is currently on Spring Break.

Persephone had called early in the day and spoke with Hades' Personal Assistant, Aster. Together they plotted the best way to surprise him. Hades had a later afternoon Health and Safety meeting with a free hour after, so Persephone had arrived shortly after the meeting started. It felt weird to be taking the elevator up to the 99th floor of Tower 1.  
  
Persephone was greeted by a tall nymph who was so pale she nearly glowed, and her pink and blue markings shifted under her skin, making her shine like a polished opal.  
  
"Lady Persephone, I have waited a very long time to meet you," Aster said, greeting her with a warm hug.  
  
"Please, just Persephone," she said, feeling more than a little surprised by the welcome. It was common for nymphs who served under a goddess to call them Lady. Her mother's nymphs called her _Lady Demeter_ , but Persephone held no dominion over the nymphs. "I am no one's deity."  
  
Aster laughed, "of course you are! Your mother may keep the flower nymphs up top under her thumb, but she's never given us a second thought in the Underworld. My sisters and I have been yours since we found out of your existence."  
  
Persephone swallowed, feeling dazed. "I think you are mistaken—wait, are you a flower nymph? I didn't even realize that the Underworld had flower nymphs."  
  
"Well, now you know," Aster chirped. "I love the Dorsa you created, by the way. I managed to duplicate it, and I keep it at the Orchard."  
  
"Of course, the Orchard, I guess that makes sense," Persephone said, still feeling confused by the revelation. How could her mother keep something like this from her? "Why are you working here, then? If you don't mind me asking."  
  
"I was Ascoplous' PA for the past century, but Hecate hired me about six months ago. I believe there was a desire to find someone who wasn't a crownie," she said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Crownie?" Persephone had never heard that term before.  
  
"Yeah, you know, someone trying to sleep with a king," Aster said, and tittered at Persephone's blush. "Don't worry, like I said, that's why she hired me. If Hades is dating the Goddess of Spring, who better than a flower nymph to be his PA. It's a win-win, really. I get a raise, you get peace of mind, and Hecate doesn't have to keep replacing the PAs that Hades fires."  
  
"How many PAs did he fire?" Persephone asked, genuinely amused.  
  
"Not sure exactly, at least a dozen from what I hear," she said with a shrug. "The meeting should last at least another half an hour. Cerberus is in the office, and I've already rescheduled the rest of the day. Should I clear tomorrow's calendar?"  
  
"That's up to Hades, but thank you for taking care of today. We should catch up next week. I want to know more about you and your sisters, but right now I have a giant puppy to cuddle," Persephone said, and went into Hades' office to wait.  
  
Cerberus was all tail wags and slobbery kisses. "How has my good boy been? I hear you've been giving Hades a hard time," She said, scratching one of his necks. "I've missed you, buddy." Persephone climbed onto the couch and invited Cerberus up to join her, and they had a good time catching up.  
  
Shortly after three o'clock, Hades entered, looking exhausted and didn't notice her as he sat at his desk and rested his head in his hands. She smiled and waited for a few minutes to see if he would notice she was there. Finally, she had given up and said, "well, that wasn't the greeting I was hoping for."  
  
"Fucking Fates!" Hades shouted, jumping out of his chair, making Persephone giggle from her seat on the sofa. "Don't scare me like that, I'm an old man!"  
  
"Are you telling me that the Goddess of Spring successfully scared the fearsome Unseen One?" She teased and nudged Cerberus off her lap and got to her feet. "You know, this is the first time in a while that I've been in your office and I wasn't in trouble."  
  
Hades vanished and reappeared in front of her lifting her into his arms and purred, "you are definitely in trouble, Miss Kore. You're not supposed to be here until tomorrow."  
  
"I couldn't wait. You're not mad, are you?" Persephone asked, and Hades kissed her with such longing and passion that it made her toes curl, and she wrapped her legs around his waist in reflex. He smelled like cedar smoke and pomegranate seeds. She smiled against his lips and said, "I'm going to take that as a no."  
  
"Gods, I've missed you," he smiled and planted a kiss on her temple. "How am I going to make it through the rest of the day now?"  
  
"I took care of that!" Persephone said, feeling proud of thinking of everything. "Your schedule has been cleared. You get to take me home right away."  
  
They arrived back at Hades' house about an hour later because they had to pick up Pomelia and Cordon Blu from the doggy daycare. Pomelia had grown, but she was still small for her age. Cordon Blu ignored Persephone for the entire car ride.  
  
"I think Cordon Blu is mad at me," she pouted, looking into the back seat for the tenth time since they picked up the dogs. "I really thought he had warmed up to me."  
  
"Nah, he's just a drama queen. He always acts this way when I send him to daycare," Hades glared at the dog through the rear-view mirror. "He wouldn't have to go to daycare if he would stop attacking the dog walker. Pom—ehem—Meli has separation anxiety. She's fine at home if Cerberus is there, but she goes to daycare or work with me."  
  
"Don't think I missed that slip," Persephone said, giving scratches to Pomelia.  
Hades grinned and turned onto the winding street that would take them up to the house set high above the Underworld. All the houses on this street were large, a few almost as large as Hades house from the looks of them. Persephone knew looks were deceiving because Hades' home was actually much larger than it looked from the outside.  
  
"Who else lives in these houses?"  
  
"Ascalopus lives there," Hades said, pointing to a house on the right. "A few of these places are party houses for Olympians. The rest are mostly actors, musicians, or tech moguls."  
  
"I thought you own all the tech companies," Persephone said, surprised. She was sure he had told her that during his last visit.  
  
"I do, but I didn't start them. I just maintain a monopoly over all digital traffic. There are plenty of software developers who come up with new tech, programs, or platforms. Underworld Corp hosts them on our servers," Hades said as he turned into the driveway and pulled into the garage.  
  
"Hades, it wouldn't be the worse thing in the realms if you had a little competition," Persephone said as he opened her car door for her and helped her out. She never thought she would be the type of woman who enjoyed having doors opened for her, but she was.  
  
"It has allowed me to trace the pictures without difficulty, and thanks to your old phone, no one alive ever laid eyes on them," he said smugly. Persephone felt a rush of relief and a weight lift off her chest. She had already prepared herself mentally for the pictures to make it into the public eye. Knowing they were gone forever was such an overwhelming feeling that she burst into tears. "Oh, Sweetness, I told you I would take care of them."  
  
"I know, I just—I just assumed it couldn't be done. Thank you, truly Hades, I don't have words," Persephone sobbed as he wrapped her arms around his waist and cried into his middle. Hades rubbed her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and questions keep me thriving while I continue to write this story. Leave yours below!


	25. Handsome. Dorky. Sexy. Not ancient.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone finds out how old Hades is... sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Persephone has been at Norse Pantheon for one year. She is allowed 1 week a year in March to visit Olympus. She is currently on Spring Break.

Hades held Persephone in the garage for a few minutes while she cried, and he spoke words of encouragement and dismissed her numerous thank you-s. When she was composed again, they walked around to the front door. They entered to the cacophony of barks, whimpers, and dog kisses that always greeted him upon coming home. Persephone's face was bright with happiness as she sunk to the floor and was enveloped by the pack. Cordon Blu was still being an asshole to Persephone and was the only dog to give Hades any attention. Hades didn't mind. Seeing her look so at home here filled him with fierce pride. He couldn't believe that he was blessed with the love of a beautiful goddess who fit perfectly into his life. _Except that she's a goddess of light and life, and all you can offer her is darkness and death._ _ **Fuck, where did that come from?**_  
  
"Looks like the dog walker brought your things inside," Hades said, reading a letter tucked into the handle of a small beat up and ripped suitcase on wheels. He looked with displeasure to see that the rest of her things were packed in a backpack and a duffle bag. "I think you need a proper set of luggage, though."  
  
"My bags are fine, Hades, I don't need fancy things," she said, looking up from the dogpile, and Russel took the opportunity to lick the inside of her mouth when she spoke. "Eww, buddy, that's icky." She pushed the dog away gently and got to her feet.  
  
"Yeah, he does that, I should have warned you," Hades said, eyeing the dog in rebuke.  
  
"It's ok, he's just excited, nothing wrong with happy dogs. I wouldn't say no to brushing my teeth though," Persephone said, picking up her backpack and heading towards the stairs that led up to the bedrooms. Hades followed her with the rest of her luggage.  
  
"I made some space in the closet for your things, although I might have overshot your current requirements. You pack light for a goddess," he called from the other side of the bathroom door. Persephone hummed her response since she was busy brushing away dog kisses. "I pack more for my weekends than you did."  
  
Persephone emerged from the bathroom, and said, "your clothes take up more space than mine. You're two feet taller than I am. Besides, I assume you have a washing machine in this house. I only brought the necessities. There isn't a lot of room in Freya's chariot, especially when three Valkyrie are traveling with you, and they refuse to leave without a full arsenal."  
  
"Are they going to start a war while they are here?" Hades asked, laughing at the idea. Persephone shrugged, and he gave her a stern look cocking an eyebrow. "Are they?"  
  
"Probably not," she said, laughing, "They are warriors, though, and they came to support me when I take on Apollo. Those Goddesses have been plotting evacuation strategies and contingency plans for months."  
  
"I don't think it will come to that," Hades said, reassuringly.  
  
"I don't either, but they are ancient and set in their ways. The Furies weren't much better when they took me to Fólkvangr," Persephone said as she floated up to him and placed her arms around his neck. Hades wrapped his arms around her and breathed in her fresh, clean scent of vanilla and cut grass.  
  
"Ancient? Am I ancient too?" Hades teased, only slightly self-conscious.  
  
"Yes," she said andHades winced.he giggled and gave him a brief, tender kiss. "I don't think you're as old as they are, though, but then again, I don't actually know how old you are."  
  
Hades knew she was curious. How could she not be? There was no simple answer, though. "Neither do I," he said simply with a shrug.  
  
"How can you not know?" She asked in disbelief.  
  
"No one can agree on how long I was imprisoned. I had no true sense of time. Rhea probably knows, but she won't say. Nyx thinks it was 300 years, but she's never been reliable about time. Metis said it was 30 years, but she was an optimist. The rest of the Titans who fought with us either didn't know, didn't care, or split the difference somewhere," he said, surprised with how easy it was to talk to her about this. Except for those who fought in the Titanomachy, very few others knew this.  
  
"That's horrible, Hades. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up," she said, eyes big and sad.  
  
"You didn't know, and it's a fair question to ask," he said reassuringly and kissed her until her frown disappeared. "We won the war 1501 years ago. It lasted around 500 years if you include the Gigantomachy War, and that started about 50 years after I was freed. So if we go with Metis' age and round up, I am approximately 2100."  
  
"Well then, you're not ancient after all," she said and laughed at him. "Asgard is full of gods and goddesses twice that. Here you may be the oldest god, but if you wanted me to be intimidated by your age, you shouldn't have sent me to one of the oldest existing pantheons."  
  
"Not ancient, just old?"  
  
"Mhmm, and handsome," she said, kissing him.  
  
"Handsome?"  
  
"Mhmm, and dorky."  
  
"Dorky!"  
  
Persephone nodded, grinning wickedly and added, "and very sexy."

Follow the link to see what happens next.  
[**Offer Me That Deathless Death**](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25060210)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your feedback sustains me while I continue to self isolate. Leave your thoughts, and questions below.


	26. House Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades makes dinner. Persephone and Hades have an important conversation. An unexpected house guest shows up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know what album Hades is listening to, I believe it is [this](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m7RAUGDaTfcU7Z9bBrgBl84bBtcMCa5BY). But it can be anything you want it to be.  
>  **This chapter gets heavy.**
> 
> Persephone has been at Norse Pantheon for one year. She is allowed 1 week a year in March to visit Olympus. She is currently on Spring Break.

Hades laid in bed, holding a very beautiful, sweaty, and satisfied looking Persephone in his arms. She had fallen asleep almost immediately, and she had a sweet little smile on her face. His heart was filled with joy and a fierce sense of pride. _You did this for her. She is yours, she asked to be claimed._ Then the guilt set in. _Does she know what that means? She is young and may not understand the old ways. Ok, it's not that big of a deal, you already know she will be your queen, be patient. This doesn't make her your wife, you will marry her in the modern way._  
  
Hades held Persephone until he could no longer ignore the dogs whining outside of the bedroom. He checked his watch as he saw that it was past 7, and they were probably hungry and desperate to go outside. Reluctantly, Hades got out of bed, careful not to jostle Persephone and put on a pair of black track pants before heading out to care for the dogs.  
  
"C'mon guys, shhh, let's not wake the beautiful goddess," he said to the dogs as he led the pack through the house towards the back door. Once the dogs were back inside and fed, Hades began rummaging through the refrigerator and cupboards looking for something to make.  
  
He was feeling happier than he had in a very long time and turned on music while he worked. The choice of decent food was low, and Hades began to make a grocery list while pulling items out for dinner. Caught up in the moment, he began to sing along to the music as he started the rice and began to chop vegetables.  
  
"What's for dinner?" Persephone asked as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him from behind with a small kiss to his back.  
  
"Stir fry, honestly, it's one of the few vegetarian dishes I know. Unfortunately, I haven't been to the market recently. I only had zucchini and bok choy on hand," Hades said, beginning to sway back and forth with the music.  
  
"Lucky for you, you've got a plant goddess on hand," she said, and Hades smiled to himself.  
  
"Mushrooms would be good, snow peas, carrots, and anything you want."  
  
"I can't do mushrooms," she said, moving to stand beside him and holding out her palm. Hades watched as she created a large carrot and set it on the counter next to the cutting board and did it again. The carrots were perfect, unblemished, completely clean, and had fragrant green stems attached.  
  
"That is amazing. You are amazing," he said, bending over and kissing the top of her head. She smiled up at him. "I'm curious about the mushrooms."  
  
Persephone floated around the kitchen, opening cupboards at random for something as she spoke, "Mushrooms aren't really plants. They are in a lot of ways, but they are too close to animals. I can sense them growing under the soil, but I can't make them grow. Aha!" She said, pulling out a small bowl and holding it between her hands, filling it with snow peas. Hades didn't have to look to know that they were perfect.  
  
"Do you eat mushrooms?" Hades asked, wondering if her vegetarian diet prevented her from eating them.  
  
"Yes, they don't bleed," Persephone said, rolling her eyes at him. "Do you have a kettle? I want to make myself some tea." Hades went to the cupboard and grabbed the kettle and filled it with water before setting it on the stove.  
  
"I don't have a large selection of tea, but there are a few tins in that cupboard," Hades said, pointing towards the espresso machine as he threw the vegetables into the skillet.  
  
"Ok, I'll remember that for later, I brought my own this time," she said, busying herself looking for plates and flatware. Hades was filled with a warm feeling watching her get accustomed to the house; she was already comfortable. "You've alphabetized. You really are a dork."  
  
"I like order."  
  
"Nooo, you like being able to point it out to people who are nosing about your kitchen," she said, accurately assessing the truth, making him bark with laughter.  
  
"You are the first to notice," he said as he stirred the contents of the skillet by giving it a few flips in the air.  
  
"I'm probably just the first to call you out for it," she teased and began filling a teapot with fragrant dried herbs.  
  
"That smells good, what's in it?"  
  
"A bunch of stuff," she said with a slight blush. "I guess we probably should have discussed this earlier. This tea blend is what the Asgardian fertility goddesses use for contraception. Pharmaceuticals make us sick, but this doesn't."  
  
Hades froze, _fuck, fuck, fuck, she doesn't know!_ Hades was sure she would have heard from someone that he couldn't have children, and he supposed he should have brought it up at least half a dozen times since September, but he didn't know how to ever broach the subjects. "Sweetness, that won't be a problem for us. I-I'm—"  
  
She looked at him with a funny face, somewhere between annoyed and amused, "I'm quite intelligent, and Eros is my best friend, I am fully aware."  
  
"Then why are you drinking that tea?" _Is there someone else?_  
  
"You said it yourself--I grew a forest in Tartarus when nothing should be able to grow there. If the rules don't apply to me, I would rather be in control of the situation." She floated over to him and kissed him softly before pushing him away from the stove, saying, "you're about to burn dinner."  
  
"Sorry. Um, I don't want you to get your hopes up, it's a complicated story, but there is no fixing this," Hades said, running his hand through his hair, feeling like a complete asshole.  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Ok? Persephone, ok is not an answer when we are talking about something serious," Hades said, feeling his anxiety spike. She shut off the stove and turned towards him, floating up to put her arms around his neck.  
  
"I'm not worried about it. I'm way too young to consider kids. In a couple centuries, we can have a serious conversation about options. Until then, there is nothing I need to talk about," she said and kissed him softly, "Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"I love you, and I really want to be able to give you everything," Hades answered and brushed the hair out of her eyes. "I'm very sorry that this is something I cannot."  
  
"I love you too," she said and kissed him again. "Right now, what I want is food. I seemed to have worked up an appetite."  
  
They sat down to dinner and ate, talking about Persephone's journey, and about current events in the Underworld. She had several questions about Olympus, but Hades admitted that he hadn't been keeping up on what was happening there. They cleared the table and were starting the dishes when the doorbell rang. Hades looked towards the front of the house, confused and down at his watch, it was almost 8. "Are you expecting anyone?"  
  
"No, I don't have a phone yet, so it could be Hilda."  
  
Hades walked to the front door with Persephone close behind. The dogs were going crazy, barking in anticipation. He whistled, and the dogs settled down some as he opened the door to a furious looking Demeter.  
  
"Momma?" Persephone said surprised and immediately blushed looking at a shirtless Hades and down at her own pajamas.  
  
_Fuck, this doesn't look great_ , Hades thought to himself and said, "Hello, Demeter, please come in." Hades stepped aside, inviting Demeter inside.  
  
"To be honest, I was hoping to talk to you before my daughter arrived. I see she is already here," she said, pursing her lips in disapproval while taking in their appearance.  
  
"I-I'm going t-to go put on a sh-shirt," Hades said to the goddesses and fled from the room. _Fuck, fuck, fuck, shit, shit, ahhh. It's ok, it doesn't matter that you just made love to her daughter, Persephone is a grown goddess and has every right to engage in sex._ Hades grabbed a zippered hoodie from his closet and threw it on before heading back downstairs and into his potential demise. He experienced a brief anxiety attack when he found the living room empty then he heard them in the kitchen.  
  
"I'm sorry I haven't seen you yet. I just got in this morning, and I spent the afternoon with Eros," Persephone said to her mother. They hadn't noticed he was back.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Persephone asked defiantly and Hades flinched in guilt.  
  
"Judging by the smell of that tea and your state of undress, nothing good."  
  
Hades cleared his throat, and both goddesses looked towards him, "can I offer you something to drink, Demeter?"  
  
"Whiskey," she answered succinctly.  
  
"What did you have to talk to Hades about, momma?" Persephone asked. She seemed to be on defense. Hades found himself wondering what their dynamic was like, not for the first time.  
  
"I wanted to know what kind of relationship you two had, but it's pretty obvious," Demeter said, taking the proffered whiskey and draining the glass.  
  
"We never meant to hide anything from you, Demeter," Hades said, sitting next to Persephone. "It was our intent to tell you before the Panathenaea."  
  
Demeter gave Hades a stern look, and hissed, "she is a child, Aidoneus." Hades flinched, shame over her age returning.  
  
"I am an adult!"  
  
"You are my child!"  
  
"Yes, momma, but I am not a child anymore. I will make my own choices, and I have chosen to be with Hades. We love each other," Persephone said, gesturing wildly with her hands.  
  
"Love? What do you know of love?" Demeter snapped.  
  
"Plainly, more than you do."  
  
"Oh, you think so! You will never know love until you have a child of your own, and if you tie yourself to him, that is something you will never have!" Both Hades and Persephone flinched. It solidified Hades' regret knowing that Persephone would want children someday. Demeter turned her ire towards him, "I bet you haven't told her that?"  
  
"She knows," Hades said dryly and took a long pull of his whiskey. "On that note, how did you manage to have a child Demeter?"  
  
"That is none of your business, Aidoneus," Demeter said. Hades was justified to see a look of fear in her eyes. _Gottcha._  
  
"Are you sure? Persephone told me the bedtime story you told her. A few things didn't make sense, I could use some clarity," Hades said, and summoned the tape the Fates had delivered to his office a week ago. He had not watched it; he had learned his lesson last time. This was a tape to view in company. "Maybe this will have the answer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me your feedback. I want to know what you loved, hated, and answer any of your questions I can without spoiling.


	27. Dodona

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out what Dodona and Demeter talked about.
> 
>  **Content Warning**  
>  Something really messed up is mentioned in this chapter. It's not rape related, but some readers may have emotional feelings associated with the subject. I will explain my reasoning in the end notes.
> 
> Persephone has been at Norse Pantheon for one year. She is allowed 1 week a year in March to visit Olympus. She is currently on Spring Break.

Persephone fidgeted with the drawstring of her pajama bottoms while Hades connected a dusty old VCR to the large television in the living room. Demeter sat in the armchair nearest, her arms folded, staring fixedly at the tape on the coffee table. Persephone had never seen her mother look this way before. _Is she scared?_ Typically Demeter was a beacon of fierce confidence. Now she looked out of her depth, and Persephone felt a hollowness in her chest.  
  
"Momma, what is on the tape?" Persephone asked softly. She needed answers. She hated that her mother kept the information on the tape from her, and she likely didn't want to know whatever was on it. Demeter shook her head and wiped at the corner of her eye. "I need one of you to explain what is on this tape!"  
  
Hades cleared his throat as he grabbed the tape and looked from Persephone to Demeter and back. "I don't honestly know," he admitted, looking grim, "but I have a theory."  
  
"Ok, that's a start," she said, clasping her hands in her lap, waiting, "I want to know what is so blooming important about this tape?"  
  
"I think your mother stole fruit from my orchard," he said. Persephone looked at him confused, _what does that have to do with anything?_ "I think you were born from a pomegranate seed from my realm, Persephone," he explained, and again Persephone wondered just how much of what she thought showed on her face.  
  
"Ok? What does that mean?" Persephone asked both Hades and her mother. "Obviously, it means something big, but I have no point of reference. Why is that important?"  
  
"My orchard is full of trees that bear the fruit that is given to every shade that enters the realm. Only one of those trees had seeds that will grow into another tree. We call it _The Mother Tree_ , which is possibly the oldest thing in this part of the world. I told you before that when I became the King here, there were only two things: A pomegranate tree and Tartarus. That is the only tree you could have come from. It would explain why you were able to grow a forest in Tartarus, it explains why _The Mother Tree_ hasn't borne fruit in two decades. It also means that you are tied to the Underworld. If all that is true, I think this tape is about us," Hades said and turned to put the tape in the VCR and grabbed the remote, taking a seat on the sofa near Persephone.  
  


> A grey woman sat in a high-backed wicker chair under a large tree sketching something out of focus in a large notebook with charcoal. Suddenly, she looked up and into the distance with a smirk before returning to her picture.
> 
> "Are you the one they call Dodona?" Demeter asked when she got close.
> 
> "I am. What brings the childless Barley Mother to me?" Dodona asked without looking up from her work.
> 
> "Shouldn't you already know?" Demeter asked, crossing her arms.
> 
> "I do, but I always like to hear it anyway."
> 
> "Right, sounds like a con to me. This was obviously a waste of time," she said, turning to leave.
> 
> "Rhea came to you in a dream, and now you are here. I know what you seek, but I do not know what you know. Ask your question or leave, it makes no difference to me," Dodona rolled her eyes and studied Demeter.
> 
> "I want a child. Rhea said you would have a solution," Demeter said, turning back to face the Oracle.
> 
> "I see," Dodona set her notepad down and conjured a lit cigarette. "First, I will tell you the price you will pay. When you decide to accept the consequences, I will tell you how."
> 
> Demeter took a deep breath, "Ok, I will do anything."
> 
> Dodona smiled wickedly, her eyes glowed white, "You will be her mother, but she will never be your child. What I mean is, she will never belong to you, you will keep her safe for him. Once he accepts her, your job is done."
> 
> "Who?"
> 
> "The one who shares your crime and curse. She will be his wife. Rhea has decided that he deserves forgiveness. She is willing to give you what you desire as long as it's for him."
> 
> "He gets forgiven, and I get a child for what? 18 years until she is ready to be married off? What about what she wants? What if she doesn't want him?"
> 
> Dodona shrugged, "I guess that depends on what he wants. He could claim her if he chooses, but we both know that he's not like that. If they never meet, or they don't love each other, then I guess that means Rhea is wrong. Besides, he was only an accomplice."
> 
> "I could keep her away from him then?"
> 
> "It's unlikely, but I suppose it's possible."
> 
> "I'll do it," Demeter said.
> 
> "It won't be easy. It will take time to prepare. The first thing you need to do is help the mortals increase their cattle numbers. You will need 100 bulls, fattened and intact, but they have to be given to you as offerings—alive."
> 
> "That's impossible," Demeter said, shaking her head, "how am I supposed to do that?"
> 
> "You're the Goddess of Harvest, ask for them as offerings. Come and see me when you've got them?"
> 
> "That could take years!"
> 
> "Centuries actually," Dodona said, taking a final drag from her cigarette.
> 
> "Why so long?"
> 
> Dodona looked at Demeter, annoyed, "honestly, this is not even the worst of the tasks you will have, just the one that will take the longest. Honestly, you're lucky Rhea is willing to forgive you both for depriving Zeus of his first-born son."

Both Demeters—the one on the video and the one in the room paled. Even Hades flinched at the Oracle's words. Persephone grabbed the remote from the table and pressed pause.

"What is she talking about?" Persephone asked her mother.

"It was a long time ago," Demeter said, wiping away a tear. "During the war, Zeus was one of my lovers. Hera and I knew of each other, but we both pretend like we didn't. It was obvious who he would choose, but then I discovered I was pregnant. I didn't want to marry him, I didn't want to hurt Hera, I knew that if I had that child, I would regret it. I got help getting rid of it."

Persephone couldn't comprehend what she was hearing. She believed wholeheartedly in a woman's right to autonomy. She had no issue with anyone making a choice to not bring a child into the world, but her own mother? Several questions bounced around her head, but the one she spoke was, "how was it possible for you to abort a god-child? We cannot die?"

"I helped her," Hades said, quietly and ran his hand through his hair. Persephone turned to him in disbelief.

"You can kill a god?"

"No, I didn't kill it, I removed it. Eventually, I used it as the power source when I created _The Isle of the Blessed_ ," he said, looking ashamed.

"This is really fucked up," Persephone said, standing up, "I honestly don't know who I am more upset with right now."

"Kore, language," her mother scolded.

" _Excuse me, mother,_ " she said, voice dripping with irony, and Demeter flinched, "but this is really fucked up!"

"It was my choice," Demeter said, straightening her back, "I had the right to choose my own path."

"But I don't?" Persephone retorted. "That tape said that my purpose is to be his wife, and you created me knowing I would have no choice. Then you try to force me into being an eternal virgin? _Why?_ So that I didn't have to marry him? Neither of those decisions did you consider _my_ choice. You created me for your own selfish desire to have something to control!"

"I didn't want to give you up. You could never marry him if you took your vows, you would always be mine," Demeter said, her tears falling freely.

"And was I born from the pomegranate Mother Tree?"

"Yes," Demeter answered.

"And the curse you two share?"

"Infertility," Hades answered, "I told you it was a complicated story. I just didn't realize you would be directly involved. It also wasn't my story alone."

Persephone turned her back to Hades and Demeter and repressed play to resume the video.

>   
>  Demeter stood in front of Dodona and asked a few more questions. Dodona refused to answer, and eventually, Demeter left. The tape cut to black for a few seconds before a new picture appeared. It was Demeter some time later. The trees had grown, and the high-backed wicker chair was replaced with a white velvet fainting couch with intricate wood carvings. She smiled as Demeter approached.
> 
> "The Barley Mother returns, how long has it been?"
> 
> "Nearly 500 years, I have the cattle, I am ready."
> 
> "Great! Here's what you need to do," Dodona said, explaining the steps she needed to go through. Walk Greece until she bled, plow a field by hand three times, sacrificing the bulls, what rules she had to follow. "And you will need a pomegranate seed from the Underworld. _The Mother Tree_ specifically."
> 
> "That's impossible," Demeter said, pale and angry. "Even if I managed to get into the Orchard, I would never be able to steal it."
> 
> "Figure it out," Dodona said with a shrug. "You could always ask him, I'm sure he'd let you grow him a wife."
> 
> "I won't let her become his wife," Demeter said.
> 
> The Oracle laughed, "Good luck with that. Just know, the harder you try to prevent it, the more you will pay."
> 
> "I will pay any price."
> 
> "Hmm, is that so?" Dodona asked, and Demeter nodded. "Ok, have it your way. Just one more thing: There will be dire consequences if he is not her first lover."
> 
> "She will be an eternal maiden, that won't be a problem," Demeter said. She had obviously already made the decision to force Persephone into TGOEM. "One more question, will she be a goddess or a nymph?"
> 
> Dodona laughed, "Neither, she will be the last Titan."
> 
> "That's impossible! If Zeus finds out, she will be thrown into Tartarus with the rest of them!"
> 
> "Better not let him find out," Dodona said.

The tape went blank again, Persephone waited to see if there was any more, but there wasn't. The room was silent, all three of them in shock. _I am a Titan? My mother lied to me my entire life. I am destined to be Queen. Hades helped my mother abort Zeus' child. No, not my mother, my mother is a tree. What is going on? What are the dire consequences? Why is no one speaking?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, that was fucked up. It's meant to be fucked up. I always thought that it was weird that Demeter (who is a fertility goddess) didn't have more children. Or any child of her own body. Even if she had experienced past traumas, there are artificial insemination clinics. I decided that she was somehow infertile, like Hades. So I devices a plot that explained by both of them are unable to have children. 
> 
> I know many of you dislike Demeter, and refuse to see her as a person with good intentions. Conversely, we know that Hades has done some horrible things in his past, but we chose to view him as a truly good person. I think that Demeter and Hades are mirrors of each other.
> 
> As always, I want you feedback. If you are upset with my decision, let me know.


	28. Earthquakes and Butterflies (pt 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades has an anxiety attack. Persephone gets butterflies. Demeter smokes a cigarette.
> 
> **Trigger Warning: Anxiety Attack**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Readers who have extreme anxiety should skip to you stop seeing mostly _italic_ and short lines.
> 
> Persephone has been at Norse Pantheon for one year. She is allowed 1 week a year in March to visit Olympus. She is currently on Spring Break.

_**She will be the last Titan.**_  
  
The words of the Oracle, Dodona said, echoed through Hades' thoughts. He heard nothing else, the silence of the room was palpable. The low electric hum from the television sounds like a foghorn is Hades head.  
  
_**A Titan?**_ _That is impossible._  
  
_The silence stretched in the room. Persephone stood with her back to Hades, frozen in place._  
  
_Did she know? No, probably not. Ok. Think. Why is no one speaking?  
You should say something._  
  
_This is bad! Ok, think! Zeus doesn't know. Zeus can never know. This is fine. Does anyone else know?_  
  
_He would make me send her to Tartarus. He knows what would happen. Fuck, it would be some much worse if she is a Titan._  
  
_You can protect her. No one in this room will say anything. I will destroy the tape, and no one else will ever know._  
  
Sheer panic washed over him and he shook from the micro earthquakes that rattled the room. He winced when the screen of the television cracked and for the second time, Hades watched as Persephone slowly dissolved into hundreds of butterflies.  
  
_**Fuck! Where is she going? This is bad, this is very bad.**_  
  
_You should have said something, Asshole!_  
  
"Fuck!" Hades shouted and began pacing, causing the tremors to break more glass around the room. _Get your shit together!_  
  
_Eros. She will have gone to Eros'. Fuck! I don't have his number. Or Aphrodite's. Is Ares in Olympus?_  
  
Hades realized that Demeter was still in the room when she stood up and walked over to the bar and poured herself a whiskey.  
  
"Did she know?"  
  
"Nothing except for the story I told her. I'm not stupid, Aidoneus," Demeter said as she handed Hades a glass of whiskey. Hades pinched the bridge of his nose. "Are we going to look for her?"  
  
"What? Oh, yeah. She's probably gone to Eros' house," Hades said and pulled out his phone and was about to press call on Ares' name when Demeter snorted. "Ok. Where do you think she went?"  
  
Demeter looked at him like he was a moron and drained her glass, "the Orchard."  
  
_Fuck! That is obvious. Why didn't I think about that first?_  
  
_**Because you don't really know her.**_  
  
_Fuck off! She didn't know that herself._  
  
Hades handed his undrunk whiskey to Demeter and for Cerberus and said to the dog, "I've got an important job for you. Find Persephone and keep her safe. Check the Orchard first, no force; she's not in trouble."  
  
The Orchard was on the other side of the Underworld, nearly 20 a minute drive. It was impossible to transport there magically, Hades could, but Demeter would not be able to. Besides, he had questions for her. After changing into street clothes, Hades pulled out of his driveway towards the Orchard with Demeter in the passenger seat.  
  
"Does anyone else know she's a Titan?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you know anything that isn't on the tape?"  
  
"There isn't anything else to know. That's everything."  
  
"Dodona said there would be consequences if I wasn't her first lover," Hades said, and flinched again under Demeter's glare. _Fuck, stop being a coward!_  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It's not my place to say anything, but you should talk to your daughter. I want to know the _fucking_ consequences?"  
  
"I don't know," Demeter said, crossing her arms and closing her eyes. "Could you drive slower? You're going to make me sick."  
  
Hades looked down at the panel and saw that he was driving well over the speed limit and let off the gas.  
  
"Why did you do it? Knowing everything, knowing the risks to her safety and your own, why did you do it?" Hades asked.  
  
"I was tired of being alone."  
  
_That makes two of us._  
  
"Why not just raise the nymphs as your own?"  
  
"Nymphs die. Sure, they live for centuries, but they die. They can be hurt, get sick, or be injured. I wanted someone that no one could ever take from me. I tried my hardest to keep you from taking her," Demeter said, her voice wobbling with emotion. Hades handed her a pressed silk handkerchief from his pocket. He had come prepared. "Thanks, Aidoneus."  
  
"I would have never kept her from you. What kind of being do you think I am? She may never even talk to us again because you insist on keeping her in the dark about everything!"  
  
"Are you telling me that you've told her _everything_?"  
  
"No, of course not, that takes time. I've known Kore for less than a year, and I've had very few opportunities to have deep conversations about every single aspect of my fucking life. You've had her for 20 years, you've had ample time to tell her important things."  
  
"Do you have a cigarette?"  
  
"I don't smoke anymore, Demeter."  
  
"Good for you. Stop here, I need a cigarette," Demeter said, and Hades looked at her in disbelief. "Lesson one: she needs time to cool off. If you try to talk to her when she's worked up, you'll never get her to calm down."  
  
Hades pulled into the convenience store parking lot. He felt his phone vibrate from his jacket's inner pocket and saw that Aster was calling. _She's at the Orchard_ , he thought with relief.  
  
"Salutations."  
  
"Your Majesty, I just wanted to let you know that Lady Persephone is here."  
  
"Thanks, Aster, I'm on my way already. Is she ok?"  
  
"She's safe. We got her some warm clothes. She's upset, but she hasn't said much. This is awkward, but if I have to pick loyalties, it's with her."  
  
"I doubt that will be necessary, but I appreciate your honesty," Hades said, growing impatient with how long Demeter was taking.  
  
"Thanks. That's all," Aster said, and the call ended. Hades scoffed and hoped that her business phone etiquette was less abrupt. A few minutes later and they were on the road again, Demeter smoking a cigarette with the window down, relishing every drag.  
  
" _There are no curses, only mirrors_ ," Demeter said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's something Rhea said to me, right before you locked her in Tartarus. _There are no curses, only mirrors_. I used to think it was her way of justifying what she did to us, now I see it as a prophecy of its own."  
  
"I don't understand," Hades said, his anxiety had been increasing as they got closer to the Orchard.  
  
"It took me nearly 1500 years to figure it out, you'll get there eventually," she said as Hades parked the car. "Who do you think she would rather see?"  
  
"Fuck if I know. Probably neither of us."  
  
Demeter pursed her lips and nodded.  
  
The Orchard was more alive and vibrant than he had ever seen. Every tree was covered in blossoms, even trees that were currently heavy with fruit were blanketed in small red flowers. Hades had never seen the Orchard look so beautiful. This was the only place in the Underworld that plants could grow unless you count moss. It dawned on him, that this place had always been hers. It was hers on the day she was planted in the soil. Her corner of the kingdom that would always belong more to her than it did to him.  
  
As they approached the center of the Orchard, Persephone came into view, standing in front of The Mother Tree with her back to them. Cerberus sat by her side, staring at the tree with her hand resting on his head. Her hair was so long that it pooled around her feet, and it was filled with pomegranate blossoms. Reds mingled into pink, each color fighting for dominance. She was dressed differently, all black instead of white, comfortable but severe.  
  
Hades wasn't sure what he should say, he was worried about her and suddenly felt very exhausted. Only hours ago they had made love, everything seemed so simple then. Once again, he faced her unsure where they stood.  
  
"Little Goddess, are you ok?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant to mirror chapter 1. We are moving into the second part of the series, although I don’t know if it is a true halfway point. 
> 
> Readers who are feeling the **thirst** are in luck! My rating has changed for a reason. I am working with another author to provide you guys with **smut**. Some of these scenes will be added directly into Journey to Asphodel, however, most will be part of a companion series. More details to follow. 
> 
> The line "There are no curse, only mirrors" is a quote from a poem by Rita Dove called _Demeter's Prayer to Hades_ read it here
> 
> As always, I love your feedback!


	29. Earthquakes and Butterflies (pt 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger Warning: Anxiety Attacks**
> 
> Persephone has an anxiety attack and talks to her mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Persephone has been at Norse Pantheon for one year. She is allowed 1 week a year in March to visit Olympus. She is currently on Spring Break.

Persephone's anxiety grew as the silence in the room stretched beyond her tolerance. Dozens of thoughts and questions raced through her mind, but she couldn't grasp any of them long enough to form the words out loud. She wished she could be anywhere else. Persephone closed her eyes and thought of all the places she would rather be. The two most important people in her life shared secrets and had a bad habit of making decisions for her. She felt herself evaporating, she could have stopped the butterflies, but she didn't want to. Persephone thought she heard the sound of breaking glass as she let herself dissolve. Trusted that the swarm would take her to wherever she needed to be.  
  
She arrived in the middle of the Orchard naked. She had forgotten to focus on her clothing and lost them. _Great. Now I'm cold._ Her hair was long and flowed around her, shrouding most of her nakedness if anyone were to see her.  
  
_Well, there is no use hanging about naked. The nymphs have to live somewhere on the property_ , and focused her energy on reaching into the trees, searching for signatures of new life. It was almost impossible to detect the nymphs' presence because of all the fresh blossoms that were only hours old on the trees. She blushed to realize that she was likely the cause of the sudden bloom. Persephone wondered how many times the trees here flowered when she was in the Underworld last year. She wasn't exactly sure where the Orchard was located in the Underworld. Still, She decided that didn't really matter, and she walked towards the place she thought the nymphs likely slept.  
  
She found a decent-sized house on the east edge of the Orchard and knocked on the door. To her relief, Aster opened the door, looking surprised.  
  
"I'm having a bit of an evening, and I seemed to have evaporated and swarmed here. Any chance you or your sisters have clothes that will fit me?" Persephone said, blushing.  
  
"Of course, my lady, you are welcome here any time," Aster said, stepping aside and inviting her inside and asking her to follow. Soon Persephone was dressed in fleece-lined black leggings and a soft black sweater. The trainers she was given were a few sizes too big, and she tied them tightly, hoping they would stay on her feet. Once she was dressed, Aster asked, "are you ok?"  
  
"My mother showed up, and everything got really overwhelming. I'm fine, just confused. I would love to meet your sisters if they are home," Persephone said, changing the subject quickly. Distraction is what she needed.  
  
"Of course," Aster said, and she led Persephone to a patio on the other side of the house where there were half a dozen nymphs who matched Aster's coloring sitting around a fire. Persephone spent a few minutes talking to the group and each of the women individually, genuinely enjoying the company. Cerberus showed up at her side after a while, and Persephone knew that her time here was running short and asked Aster to show her to the Mother Tree.  
  
"Thank you, Aster. I don't have a phone, would you be kind enough to let Hades know where I am. He's probably worried," Persephone said, approaching the ancient tree.  
  
"Yes. Do you want me to ask him to get you?"  
  
"No, he will come when he's ready. Just let him know I'm safe, if he sent Cerberus, he's worried. I'd like to be alone for now, though," Persephone said, dismissing the nymph.  
  
Persephone stood, rooted to the spot, staring at the tree while attempting to gather her thoughts. She let her energy seep from her, feeling out the nooks and crannies of the tree and those around it. It was odd because these trees seemed to be connected to each other. Their roots grew together into a vast network under the soil. Trees didn't regularly connect like that, usually, where one tree's roots ended, another began. Trees did have a way of communicating with each other, but this was different. These trees shared an entire root system like rhizomes. Poplars were a tree that grew like this, but she had never noticed this in other pomegranate trees. She knew that it was because these were no ordinary trees, and this tree, the mother tree, was unlike any other tree she has ever encountered.  
  
It was like what Freya taught her about Yggdrasil, the Norse Tree of Life. Maybe this tree was another, and she wondered how many trees like this existed in the world. Did every Pantheon have one?  
  
"If I was born from you, and that makes me a Titan, does that mean that you are as well?" Persephone asked the tree. She wasn't expecting an answer but thinking the words felt wrong. "Are you a god? Are you primordial? Do you represent life or death? Both? Is this possible? I don't know how I feel about this. I want to be mad, but when I feed my anger, I lose myself. Sometimes it feels like if I give in to it, I will drown.  
  
"Do I let them off the hook? Sweep it all under the rug and go on pretending to have a choice in what I do? I know that the Fates already know everything that we will ever do, but we are still free to make our own choices because we don't know the grand design. Now I know, and knowing is so much worse. I would rather be ignorant of the truth. Even this feels like a partial truth, there are questions unasked, secrets untold, mysteries that are yet to be revealed. Is that enough? There is so much I don't understand. What do I do?"  
  
Persephone went silent again. She was no closer to understanding or accepting. Still, she patted Cerberus on the head and found comfort in the dog's company. Her senses told her that they were not alone in the small clearing.  
  
"Little Goddess, are you ok?" Hades softly, from behind her.  
  
Persephone shrugged and answered, "confused, mostly. A heads up would be appreciated if you discover any other bombshells to drop."  
  
"I thought I would have more time to talk to you about what I suspected. Honestly, most of that threw me for a curve too," Hades said and stepped closer, hugging her from behind. She leaned into his embrace and clasped her hands over his.  
  
"Were you and Demeter ever lovers?" Persephone asked it was an ugly question that had been bouncing around in her head since she discovered their shared crime.  
  
"No."  
  
"That's a relief," she said with a nervous laugh. Hades kissed the top of her head. "How bad will it be if Zeus finds out the truth?"  
  
She felt Hades go rigid for a moment before answering. "Very bad, but I can keep you safe. You can't tell anyone what you are, though, not even Eros. The more people who know, the harder it gets to keep secret. You can tell him anything else, but not that."  
  
"I rather pretend it's not true. I don't want to be like them."  
  
Hades relaxed his embrace and stood in front of her, cupping her face in his hands. "They are not all bad, Kore. For most, their only crime was following their king."  
  
"Shouldn't we have known already? I was 50 feet tall when I destroyed that village," the questions in her head started spilling free.  
  
"No, Sweetness, that doesn't mean anything. All gods can do that, at least all of us who fought in the war. I don't know if younger ones can, maybe it's only because we are the children of titans, I don't have those answers."  
  
"Do you think that makes Aphrodite a Titan too? And Hecate?" Persephone asked.  
  
"Maybe, I think it would be unwise to ask. Like I said, I don't want to trust anyone else with something this dangerous. Hecate is probably safe, but I would caution you against telling anyone what I did for your mother. That is a dangerous secret," he said, looking severe.  
  
"I understand, it's not my secret to tell anyway," she said. Persephone was getting cold. "Can we go home?"  
  
"Yes, in a minute, but I have to tell you something else first," he said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before turning his crimson eyes on her again. "I've known for months that you would be my queen."  
  
It took a few moments for that to sink into her already jumbled thoughts. She understood that Hades was talking in absolutes, and not the hope that comes from love. "How?"  
  
"On my first visit to Fólkvangr, I saw you training with Hilda from my bedroom window. I didn't really mean to watch, but I couldn't look away," he paused, looking ashamed and took another deep breath. "When you shifted into your primal form, I did too."  
  
Persephone was confused and said, "I don't know what that means, Hades."  
  
"It's an ancient prophecy, or maybe it's just an old wives tale, I'm not sure exactly because it's ancient. It was said that when two gods responded to each other, recognizing their primal form as an equal, they would share their destiny."  
  
"But if I'm not a god, that doesn't matter."  
  
"I didn't know that then, and you're not exactly a titan either. Titans don't have a primal form, at least none I ever heard of. Some of them are primordial, which is similar in some ways, but it's not the same. You take another form, but Nyx turns into darkness and can blanket the world. That is not a different form, it's just a different state of existence, does that make sense?"  
  
"I think so. It's like how Rhea can travel in dreams, but only to women because she represents both," Persephone said, groping for her own example.  
  
"Exactly, both of them are in Tartarus, but they are still able to be elsewhere. Cronus, too, time still exists. It's only his body is trapped."  
  
"What does that make me?"  
  
"Incredible. Powerful. Awe-inspiring. Dangerous. Unique. All the things we already know you are."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant to mirror chapter 1. We are moving into the second part of the series, although I don’t know if it is a true halfway point. 
> 
> Readers who are feeling the **thirst** are in luck! My rating has changed for a reason. I am working with another author to provide you guys with **smut**. Some of these scenes will be added directly into Journey to Asphodel, however, most will be part of a companion series. More details to follow.
> 
> As always, I love your feedback!


	30. Miscommunication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone is dealing with some emotions.
> 
> **Trigger Warning** for PTSD related to sexual trauma. Mild, but sensitive readers should skip over "-Earlier-"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Persephone has been at Norse Pantheon for one year. She is allowed 1 week a year in March to visit Olympus. She is currently on Spring Break.

-Earlier-  
  
  
Persephone woke up feeling sticky, sweaty, and heartbroken to find the bed empty. She had no idea what time it was, there was no clock in the room, and the sky outside was always the darkest hour of the night. She got out of bed and shut herself in the bathroom and cried softly in the shower.  
  
_I really thought he would stay a cuddle_ , her heart echoed.  
  
While her brain shouted insecurities, _of course, he's not here, you're the one who fell asleep like a baby. How embarrassing! Maybe he didn't enjoy the sex like he thought he would. Perhaps he was only after sex from the beginning._  
  
_That's not true. You know that's not true. You practically begged him for it._  
  
_**Oh, gods,**_ _I said, "I need you to make love to me. Take me, claim me, fuck me, whatever you want to call it, I'm not waiting any longer."_  
  
_Gods, that is so pathetic! You sounded so desperate._  
  
_I was desperate!_ Persephone had been ready to be with Hades since the second night of his visit in September. Still, Hades had been adamant about waiting until she came home. She was well aware that he meant back to stay, but surely, home for a visit was good enough.  
  
_Is this my home? We haven't even discussed that. Am I homeless?_  
  
_**STOP!**_ _Get your flowers in a row! Finish your shower, stop your crying, and go look for him. He's probably just taking care of the dogs._  
  
Persephone's stomach let out a loud gurgle, and she shut off the shower, dried off, put on her warmest pajamas, and went downstairs. She heard music coming from the kitchen. It was bluesy with a raspy voice. She smiled immediately to hear Hades singing along with the music and swaying back and forth with the music while he was cooking. All of Persephone's anxieties melted away as she hugged him from behind and kissed his bareback.  
  
"What's for dinner?"

-Now-  
  
  
Persephone woke utterly unaware of having fallen asleep for the second time in a few hours. This time Hades was sleeping beside her, so that was an improvement. Still, for some inexplicable reason, she sat up, pulled her knees to her chest, and began to sob. The tape, the fight with her mom, that half comforting conversation with Hades overwhelmed her. She was still upset and had no control over her emotions, and they just spilled out from her.  
  
She felt Hades' hand rubbing her back, and Cerberus climbed onto the bed and huffed into her hair. She smiled inwardly at the two most feared beings in the realms offering her these simple comforts. Hades moved and settled himself down behind her, legs splayed out on either side of her, and his arms wrapped around her. Persephone leaned into the embrace, and her tears slowed to a trickle.  
  
Hades chuckled softly and said, "It looks like all the dogs want to snuggle you, Miss Kore."  
  
Persephone looked up to see Russel, Mushroom, Fudge, and Big John all staring at her with big puppy eyes from the side of the bed. "Well, why haven't they?"  
  
"They aren't allowed on the bed," Hades said in a low menacing voice.  
  
"That's a horrible rule. You only allow Cerberus on the bed? That's not fair."  
  
"No, Cerberus isn't supposed to be on the bed either. He makes his own choices, he isn't blindly obedient. The rest of the pack will wait to be invited," Hades said, scratching Cerberus affectionately.  
  
"What are you waiting for, I need puppy cuddles," Persephone said, unfolding herself and sitting criss-cross. Hades patted the bed twice with one hand, and the dogs leaped onto the bed while he leaned over and stretched to help Pomelia up, who was too small to jump. "No, Cordon Bleu?"  
  
"He's probably under the bed," Hades said, as he scratched ears and ruffled collars. "Do you want to talk about your dream?"  
  
Persephone was confused; she didn't understand what he meant. Then she realized that he assumed she had woken from a nightmare. "It wasn't a dream, I was just feeling overwhelmed."  
  
"That is perfectly understandable." He yawned and kissed the back of her head. "I'm sorry. I should have never asked for that tape. I'll never do that again."  
  
"I'm not upset about the tape. Not really, I'm angry because no one feels the need to share important information with me. You should have told me what you suspected. We could have asked my mother as a united front," Persephone said, calmer than she felt.  
  
Hades went rigid behind her and paused, petting the dogs before saying, "I know, I'm sorry. I just didn't like the way she was talking to you. I acted impulsively."  
  
"I think you didn't like the way she was talking to you."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"I'm sorry for turning into butterflies again," Persephone said, feeling embarrassed.  
  
"It's ok. You didn't mean to," Hades said reassuringly.  
  
"Actually, I did. At least I could have stopped. I just decided not to," she admitted and buried her face into Mushroom's soft downy neck. "Was it horrible being alone with her?"  
  
"No, it was almost friendly," Hades said with a stifled laugh. "I think she might even accept that we are together."  
  
"Well, it's not like she has a choice. None of us have a choice about it," she said, sounding as numb as she felt. Hades inhaled sharply and let out a ragged breath Persephone hated that she had hurt him, but she hurt too. She let the silence stretch.  
  
When Hades spoke, his voice was thick. "You will always have a choice. I hope that you will choose me, but you can make your own path."  
  
"It's so frustrating because I thought being with you was the first choice I made for myself. Don't you understand? I was made to love you. A designer bride—just add water and wait 20 years. I just wish – I just wish I never knew any of this. People aren't supposed to know their fates. That's what gives us choices!"  
  
"So, you are upset about the tape?"  
  
"Yes! Hades, I'm very upset about the tape! Gods, the last tape was a disaster, why would you do it again? Why didn't you talk to me about it? How long have you had it?" Persephone said, she moved out of his embrace and sat at the end of the bed looking at him. She didn't feel like being held, and she wanted to see him respond.  
  
"You're right, I should have talked to you about it months ago. I suspected the pomegranates as soon as you told me the story. It was the wording you used, sacred seed, normally it's the ground that is sacred if you're growing a nymph or dryad. Your mother would have had no reason to change that for a story. The pomegranates here are sacred, it's not the land, it's not the trees, it's the fruit. I wanted to know why." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I wanted to know – gods, it doesn't even matter."  
  
"It does matter. What did you want to know!" Persephone shouted. She was tired of him keeping things to himself. This involved her.  
  
"I wanted to know if you could have my children!" He shouted back.  
  
"Oh," Persephone said lamely. "Now, you know."  
  
"What?" Hades asked, throwing up his hands in exasperation.  
  
"Rhea is the Mother of the Gods. She is the Goddess of Women, Pregnancy, Childbirth, Generations, etcetera, right?"  
  
"Yes—"  
  
"And she cursed you and my mother for ending a pregnancy."  
  
"Yes, but—"  
  
"And she gave Demeter the ability to have a child, but gave you a wife? Does Rhea have any godly claim to marriage?"  
  
"No, marriage didn't exist then, not like they are now anyway." He said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "She was the Queen of the Titans, and the wife of Cronus, but in the informal meaning. Hera, on the other hand, with the Wife of Zeus, with a capital W, is a title."  
  
"Exactly," Persephone said and was annoyed to see that Hades hadn't reached the same conclusions as she had. "She sought to forgive you for your crime when she was the one who punished you. How did she punish you?"  
  
"She took away my ability to have children. We've gone over this!"  
  
"Yes! But you're not using your head! If your mother was going to forgive you, she wouldn't give you a wife. You are perfectly capable of getting a wife without her intervention," Persephone said, and she saw Hades finally reached the same conclusion as she had.  
  
"You think—you mean—we can—" Hades gestured to Persephone and back to himself, "that we—" a slow smile spread across his face, genuine and brilliant. Persephone nodded, smiling despite her anger. "Gods, Persephone, you've never been sexier than you are right now."  
  
"Thanks, Hades."  
  
"Right, I'm missing the point," Hades said, blushing in chagrin and closing his eyes. Persephone watched with amusement as he made several funny faces trying to make his smile go away. "I'm sorry, I don't remember what specifically you were mad at me for."  
  
"100%"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two suck at communication, but I think they are both trying.  
> Readers who are feeling the thirst are in luck! My rating has changed for a reason. I am working with another author to provide you guys with smut. Some of these scenes will be added directly into Journey to Asphodel, however, most will be part of a companion series. More details to follow.
> 
> As always, I love your feedback!


	31. His Turn to Listen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades has a hard time concentrating.

Hades was momentarily struck dumb as Persephone's words found purchase in his head. "You think—you mean—we can—" he gestured to Persephone and back to himself, smiling so wide it almost hurt, "that we—" Persephone nodded, a small smile on her face. _Children, we could have a family? A real family of our own. I will give this goddess the world if she asks for it._ "Gods, Persephone, you've never been sexier than you are right now."   
  
"Thanks, Hades," Persephone said, her smile fading.  
  
_Fuck, get your shit together. This is not the time._ "Right, I'm missing the point," Hades said, feeling ashamed for his delight while she was struggling with what she learned. He closed his eyes and willed himself to be serious. _Children. Family. I love this goddess. She loves me. Everything is coming up daisies. Did I just make a flower reference? Wait, Persephone is mad at you, why is she mad at you?_ "I'm sorry, I don't remember what specifically you were mad at me for."  
  
"100%!" Persephone laughed and crawled back to him. Hades wrapped his arms around her resting his head against her chest as she kneeled in front of him. Hades' mind went blank again as he took in her comfort, and then like an idiot, he started to cry again. _Why am I always crying around her?_ "Never mind that for now, I think we should talk about this first."  
  
Hades nodded into her chest but couldn't find words to speak. _She is so lovely_. His heart and head battled for dominance. Each was trying to lead the conversation, one in the hope the other in dismissal. "I don't know where to start."  
  
Persephone hummed and gently stroked his back as he continued to cradle his head into her chest. _These breasts will someday nourish my child, our child. That is weird. Is that weird? They are so perfect and soft and lovely._ _**Get a grip!**_ He thought, and out of reflex, he cupped one in his hand around one and nuzzled into the soft globe. _Ok, not now, you perv. She said she wanted time. I can give her time. I will give her a millennium. Control your fucking impulses. Focus!_  
  
"What are we talking about again?" Hades asked, releasing her and sitting back slightly to clear his head. Persephone laughed and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Children, Hades. You said earlier, you didn't want me to get my hopes up, but I think it's you who doesn't want to get your hopes up," Persephone said, and he nodded, fighting back the urge to cry again. _You will not cry. You are a 2000-year-old god._ He swallowed a lump in his throat, and she smiled sweetly. "That's a lot for you to process. You've spent most of your life thinking you will never have them, and now you probably can. I can't promise, and I've only just begun studying the Higher Magicks in Asgard, but this feels likely. Freya gave me the tea, so she probably thinks it's likely as well. I'm assuming she knows you couldn't have children?"  
  
"Yes," he said thickly and cleared his throat. "She knows what and why."  
  
"She probably knows a lot more than that. I told her how I was born. That was right before she had me start drinking the tea. We can trust her, right?" Persephone said, looking slightly scared.  
  
"Yes, she's a good friend. The only person I trust more is Hecate – and you," he added as an afterthought. Of course, he trusted Persephone. She was his heart and soul. She would be his queen. She will be his equal.  
  
_She is your equal. She was born from something ancient and powerful in your realm_. "I need you to know that I won't pressure you. You can take as long as you need to decide if – if you want to have children with me. Y-y-you can st-still make your own p-path."  
  
Persephone silenced him with a kiss. Her soft lips lingered on his, and he ached to be inside her again. Hades reached for her, settling his hands at her waist and gently pulling her closer. She moaned against his mouth, and he felt pleasure jolt through his belly. Fuck, you are not a century-old anymore, stop acting like a sex-crazed youth.  
  
Persephone raised herself onto her knees and moved closer to him, winding a hand into his hair and pulling him deeper into her kiss. Her other hand settled onto his knee, and her fingers slid maddeningly up his thigh, nails scratching lightly through his pants. Hades gave himself to her grip in his hair, letting her tilt his head so she could slide her tongue into his mouth.  
  
"Persephone…" Hades murmured against her lips as he pulled away slightly. "Can I?" He settled his hands on her belly, thumbs rubbing against the waistband of her shorts. In response, she leaned back and pulled her shirt off. Hades stroked his hands up the skin of her torso, thumbs rubbing small circles against her nipples where they were hardening against the chill of the bedroom. Persephone sighed happily and closed her eyes, arching forward into his hands. He grinned at her response to his touch and leaned forward, covering her right nipple with his mouth while he continued to rub the left.  
  
She wound her hands back into his hair, sighing happily as he sucked and holding his head against her chest. Hades slid his free hand into the front of her shorts and dipped his fingertips down towards the core of her. Persephone gasped, and her knees spread wider on the bed, letting his hand move more freely. He circled his fingertips against her wetness and trailed kisses across her chest to tongue her other nipple.  
  
"Off, off, pants off," Persephone gasped, wiggling against his hands and mouth. Hades leaned back and helped her shimmy out of her pants, caressing her calves as he slid her pajamas down and tossed them across the bed. She settled back onto her knees in front of him, and he scooted closer, arranging his long legs around her so that the backs of his knees rested on the tops of her thighs, caging her in against his body. He wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her close while he leaned in to place kisses along the column of her throat, grazing the skin with his teeth. Persephone hissed, rocking her hips forward, and Hades responded by sliding his fingers down against her again. He slid a finger into her core briefly, gathering wetness to trail up to her clit, massaging in small circles. She whined into his ear, her hands flying up and settling on his shoulders.  
  
Hades' breathing grew heavy as she worked her hips in a rhythm, mirroring the movement of his fingers. _Gods, she's beautiful_ , he thought to himself as he slid his fingers lower again, sliding two fingers inside her and angling his hand to press his thumb back against her clit. Her legs began to tremble as he thrust his fingers in and out of her, and her hands slid to his arms, digging her nails in as she let her head fall back. Her chest thrust forward as she did, and he leaned in to capture her nipple in his lips again, lifting his free hand to cup the weight of her breast as he did.  
  
"Hades, I'm close," she gasped, lifting her head back up to look at him. He moved his head up, resting his forehead against hers briefly before kissing her deeply, soaking up her quiet moans as she moved against his hands. Hades moved his fingers faster, pressing more firmly against her as she bucked and dug her nails deep into the skin of his biceps. He slid the hand, cupping her breast up to pinch lightly at her nipple, and she wrenched her mouth away from his to cry out, shuddering against him as she came undone. Hades watched her as she trembled, where she still balanced on her knees, beautiful and gasping with pleasure. _She's perfect_ , he thought.  
  
"Whew," Persephone panted, collapsing against him. He held her for a few heartbeats, hands stroking up and down her back as she leaned into his chest. Then she placed her palms against his chest and pushed, shoving him down onto the bed. Hades chuckled as she hurriedly grabbed his waistband and tugged his track pants down, flinging them away across the room. "Ok, my turn, first, we made a deal always to sleep naked, and you broke that one already."  
  
"That was a wager, and you already lost that bet, Sweetness," Hades quipped.  
"No talking! I'm talking!" She crawled up to his hips and slung her leg over him, reaching down to take him in hand and stroking gently. Hades groaned at the feeling of her hand moving along his length, savoring the sensation until she shifted her hips and held him steady. He felt the heat of her against him for a brief moment before she sank down onto him, sliding him into her body slowly. They moaned in unison as she slid all the way down, seated snugly against his hips. The pleasure was a tight squeeze that teetered on pain, and Hades could only imagine what it felt like for her. With deliberate and excruciating slowness, she began to move, lifting up and sliding back down in small increments.  
  
"First, the rest of the wager stands. I am yours, and you are mine, I will not share you."  
  
"Yes, o-of c-course."  
  
"Shhh, no talking! Second, stop pointing out that I have a choice. Of course, I have a choice, but mentioning it makes it feel like it isn't mine." Hades shivered as she continued to rock against him. His hands went to her thighs, gripping them tightly and using the leverage to move her how he wanted her. She shoved his hands away and said, "No touching. You will listen to me."  
  
_Gods, what a wicked, cruel goddess, she is torturing me._ Hades raised his arms above his head, gripping the pillow to occupy his hands as Persephone grinned and began to move again. She moved slowly, with no rhyme or reason to her rhythm. Rocking from side to side, or back and forth, up and down, she never moved one way for long enough, keeping his head spinning further into a fog of pleasure. He focused on her, on her mouth, willing himself to listen.  
  
"Third, you still stop doing things I have asked you not to," she moaned and began to move with more force, lifting herself up higher and settling her hands at his waist. Hades nodded, gritting his teeth as he kept his eyes on her, fighting the urge to let them fall closed. "I asked you not to watch my training, and you have. I asked you not to buy me things, and there are bags of things in the closet wrapped in pink tissue. I don't think men's clothes are wrapped in pink, are they?"  
  
He shook his head, his hair flopping down across his forehead as he did. His fists clenched in the pillow. She smiled wickedly and changed the way she moved her hips again, tilting them forward as she moved up and down. Her fingers flexed against his belly, and she let her head fall forward, moaning as she let more of her weight fall onto her hands. As her weight shifted, she moved faster. _Oh fucking hel, Little Goddess wants control. Yes, please, I am at your mercy, My Queen_.  
  
"Third – no, I've done that—fuck, next, you will stop hiding things from me! If it involves me or might involve me, you will tell me. You hid from me that you saw my primal form. You didn't tell me what that meant. I deserve the truth!"  
  
Hades fought the urge to move beneath her, to grab her again and flip her so that he was on top. He was already embarrassingly close, but her persistence in taking what she wanted from his body was powerful.  
  
"I'm close," Hades warned, breaking his silence. Persephone stilled, glaring down at him. She waited steadily, never breaking eye contact. She didn't move her hips or hands, just watched him as he breathed heavily beneath her. After an indeterminable amount of time, he felt the urgency of release subside and nodded up at her.  
  
"Good," she said and resumed the motion of her hips, and her scolding. "You will never tell me what to do again. You will not make decisions for me. You sent me to Fólkvangr, thinking it was what I wanted. You played that tape without talking to me first. You never asked me what I wanted. You will stop doing that!"  
  
Hades nodded, tightening his grip on the pillow. His hands flexed and loosened in the bunched material. Persephone noticed and grinned wide.  
  
"Good. Now most importantly, you will stop doubting us. You will stop worrying that I will reject you. If you respect me and my wishes, you will have nothing to doubt. Ok?" Hades nodded. "Good, you will stop keeping us a secret. I don't need that. I don't want that. I don't like that. I will not hide! Do you have anything to say?"  
  
"I need you to stay. You can't leave. I'm sorry, but the world will come apart if you go back," Hades said, words spilling from his mouth, it was the truth. _Gods, please understand_.  
  
"I want to stay," she moaned, her movement stuttering. "I want your kiss. Your touch. I want you to come with me."  
  
Hades flung his hands to her hips, gripping her as he planted his feet against the bed to thrust up into her. Persephone moaned wildly as he met each thrust of her hips with one of his own. She moved her hands to cover his where they squeezed her hips as she bounced against him.  
  
"Gods, Hades," she gasped, falling forward with one hand braced against the bed next to his shoulder, her other hand moving to work her clit. Hades moaned, powerless against the searing pleasure she gave him as she rode him without restraint. He could feel himself getting closer to the edge of orgasm again, watching her as she moved above him. _Gods, she's glorious_ , he thought as he stared, watching her perfect body move. He could feel her tightening around him and watched as she squeezed her eyes shut, her hand working faster against her clit as she worked her hips against his. Hades swore quietly and thrust harder into her, on the edge of coming again, his hands squeezing against the skin of her hips. Persephone groaned, her hips pressing against his as she spasmed around him, curling over his body as she came. His orgasm ripped through him as he felt her clenching around his length, his hips stuttering against hers as she cried out, rubbing herself through her orgasm. He thrust erratically into her several more times before she fell forward onto his chest, leaning into him and moaning quietly. Hades panted, out of breath from coming so hard, and wrapped his arms around her back to hold her close against his chest. Persephone chuckled and rubbed her cheek against his chest, her hair tickling his chin.  
  
"See? It works out well for you when you listen to me," she said, reaching up to caress his jaw.  
  
Hades smiled, leaning forward to press a kiss to the crown of her head. "Indeed, it does, Little Goddess."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [WhiskyWrites](https://archiveofourown.org/works/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&work_search%5Bquery%5D=whiskywrites) for writing the sexy scene. Whiskey and I will be working together to provide you guys with smut. Some of these scenes will be added directly into Journey to Asphodel, however, most will be part of a companion series. More details to follow.
> 
> Tell us your thoughts! We love your feedback!


	32. The Morning After (pt 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone needs to talk to Eros, but he has official God of Love business.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Trigger Warning:**  
>  Non-consent briefly mentioned.
> 
> Chapter Title is a line from one of my favorite songs. "Say Yes" by Elliot Smith. If you've never heard of Elliot Smith, do yourself a favor and listen to his music.

Persephone was still struggling to collect her emotions in the morning. She was relieved when Hades went to work, and that made her feel more lost than ever. Hades had been apologetic about having to leave and promised to be home by six. He also gave her a new phone so that she could get a hold of people. Persephone unlocked the phone to see a picture of the dogs in the kitchen, all looking up at the phone. She strongly suspected that treats had been involved and smiled to herself.  
  
**Persephone: I have a phone now. Are you working today? – P**  
  
Almost instantly, Eros responded.  
  
**Eros: YAAASSS!! <33 business! 🏹  
Persephone: 😞  
Eros: L8R? ☕🍩???  
Persephone: Of course!**  
  
The doorbell rang, and her heart raced. _Who could that be? Should I answer the door? Sugar Snaps, why didn't I ask Hades about that?_ She took a deep breath and went to the door, floating up to see through the peephole only to find Eros standing there holding coffee cups and a box of doughnuts.  
  
Persephone opened the door. "I thought you had official God of Love business today?"  
  
"I do. You're it! I brought breakfast, and this –" he said, handing her one of the to-go cups, "is a matcha soy latte."  
  
"That sounds tasty," she said, blowing softly into the lid's hole before taking a tentative sip. It was delicious, sweet vanilla notes from the soy milk, and it didn't overpower the flavor of the tea, which was grassy in taste. "This is my new favorite; how do you do that?"  
  
"Skills," Eros said with a graceful curtsy like a ballerina. "Mostly, I'm observant, and I listen well, which gives me the ability to anticipate people's needs. Which is the real reason I am here."He sauntered into the house, looking around the expanse of the front foyer and living room before heading in the direction of the kitchen. "I've never been in here before. It's different than I expected."  
  
"What did you expect?"  
  
"I don't know, at least one guitar on the wall. I just always imagined Hades as that guy who could play an instrument really well and would flaunt it low key," he said as he sat down at the table and grabbed a doughnut from the box.  
  
"I didn't know that was a type." Persephone smiled, taking a seat across from him.  
  
"Oh, it is. Better than the guy who thinks he can play but isn't very good and finds a way to tell everyone he meets." Eros grimaced.  
  
"Well, I haven't seen any instruments." Persephone took another sip of her latte, amused by Eros assessments. "I did hear him playing music last night."  
  
"Ohhh, this is good information. What type of music does he listen to?" Eros wiggled in his seat and grabbed another doughnut.  
  
"I don't know. It was kind of bluesy, but upbeat. Not the depressing blues, but the kind you want to tap your foot to."  
  
"Hmm, ok, I need more information. Do you know where he keeps his music collection? I know everything is digital now, but he'll still have CDs – oooh, vinyl, I want to see his vinyl. You can tell a lot about someone by their vinyl collection."  
  
"What’s in your vinyl collection?"  
  
"Mine? A lot of Abba and disco. Ohh, disco – that was a wonderful time. So many orgies and everyone had a mustache and tons of pubic hair, it was one hell of a century," Eros said with a glazed look on his face.  
  
Persephone snorted. "Sometimes, I don't know when to take you seriously."  
  
"Always, Cupcake, I'm always serious when it comes to sex or love," he said, and then turned serious. "Speaking of which, my official duty is to ask how you are doing."  
  
Persephone sighed heavily and pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her feet on the chair's seat.  
  
"Am I to take it, that Hades still wants to wait?"  
  
"No, it's not that. we've had sex. Twice, actually." Persephone said, picking at a loose thread on her pants.  
  
"Was it not good?"  
  
"No, it was good. Really, really good. Way better than I imagined," Persephone said, shivering as she remembered one particularly pleasurable moment.  
  
Eros waggled his eyebrows, and she glared back at him. "So, what's wrong?"  
  
Persephone sighed again, "Well, I fell asleep right after the first time. I was so tired from traveling, and I just felt so relaxed afterward and fell asleep."  
  
"That’s natural. Happens all the time, even if you aren't physically exhausted from sex and travel."  
  
"When I woke up, he wasn't there, and it made me feel really hurt," she said, swallowing a lump in her throat.  
  
"Hugs?" Eros asked, and she nodded. Eros came around the table, and she stood up to receive a comforting hug from her best friend. He was probably the only person who would understand or help her process her emotions. "Where was he?"  
  
"Making dinner," she said, retaking her seat, "I felt better instantly, but for 20 minutes, I was really dark. I was disappointed. We cuddle all the time, and I thought that after we – you know—that he would stay. I know, it's stupid-- I'm stupid."  
  
"That's not stupid, and neither are you. I'm guessing this happened shortly after he got home from work?" Persephone nodded. "Have you talked to Hades about this?"  
  
"No. I was starving, and I enjoyed cooking with him. We talked about other things, and I didn't want to be a burden on him emotionally. It's not like he could go back in time and change it."  
  
"No, but he would know for future times." Eros paused, debating something. "Have you considered that you reacted that way because of how Apollo left. You had said that you were upset he hadn't stayed, even though you hadn't wanted to do anything in the first place. Now, you are with someone you did want to make love to, and you had a good time, but waking up alone brought up unpleasant memories or feelings."  
  
"I really thought I was past all that! I’ve been in therapy for almost a year, and I've been training to take him down. He doesn't have leverage against me anymore. I'm not scared anymore. I know he will never hurt me again! So why am I not past this?" Persephone was frustrated with herself. _Why am I still letting him get to me?_  
  
"Honey, it takes time to heal. The fact that you have been away during your healing process means that being back here could bring up memories or emotions. Having sex could bring up new emotions. Healing is not always a forward path, setbacks happen. It's a lot to deal with."  
  
"Eros, I need to tell you something," Persephone said, chewing on her bottom lip. She told him about her mother showing up after dinner, and how Hades had the tape. She explained as much as she was able to without sharing potentially dangerous information.  
  
"Gaia, you'd think that big blue idiot would have learned his lesson after the first tape."  
  
"I wish!" Persephone said, exasperated. "This probably sounds really stupid, but I liked the uncertainty of it. Would we stay together? Would I get my heart broken? How many times would I get to fall in love? Now it's like I've lost all that. I don't even get to choose this for myself!"  
  
"Nothing you are feeling is stupid, Persephone!" Eros said, taking her by the shoulders and looking her in the eyes. "Your feelings are not stupid. You are not stupid. This is really messed up, and I'm sorry you are hurting because of this."  
  
They sat quietly for a while. Persephone ate half a doughnut, but she wasn't feeling hungry. Eros gave her the silence she needed and played with Cordon Bleu, who seemed to be smitten with him. It made Persephone smile, and she took a picture.  
  
"How about we bake something. You love baking. Let's bake," Eros said after the dog had his fill of affection.  
  
"There aren't any eggs or butter in the house," Persephone said in disappointment. She did want to bake.  
  
"Ok, let's go to my place or the market."  
  
"I should make a list.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I love your kudos, comments, and feedback.
> 
> Silly question #1:
> 
> Who is your favorite Lore Olympus character? And what song would they sing at a karaoke bar?
> 
> Stay tuned to the sexy companion series. Oh la la, Whiskywrites has some steamy content for you.


	33. The Morning After (pt 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone is demanding, and Hades is ok with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One two chapters today. I am working to get three more posted in the next couple of days. I hope these help to tie you over.

Hades woke up to the sound of his alarm clock on his phone. He was torn, trying to decide whether to go into work. On the one hand, nothing urgent was happening at work, and it wouldn't be a disaster if he went in late or not at all. He wanted to stay, to spend the morning with Persephone in his arms, and to talk about all the possibilities the future held. On the other hand, he was feeling overwhelmed, and the last thing he wanted to do was pile any more pain or baggage on Persephone. The truth was, he needed time to process everything. He felt like garbage, but he knew they both needed time to think.  
  
"Little Goddess," he whispered, tracing the lines of her face with his thumb. Persephone blinked drowsily at him. "I'm sorry, but I need to go to work. Are you going to be ok?" Persephone nodded, a small smile on her face. Gods, he wanted to stay. Hades held her tightly for a few moments and kissed her forehead before getting ready for work.  
  
Before leaving, he went back to the blissfully sleeping goddess. Again, his heart ached to see her so lovely and free. He wished he wasn't such a coward as he sat on the edge of the bed and woke her one last time before leaving.  
  
"You look handsome," she mumbled, blinking up at him.  
  
"I pale in comparison to your loveliness. I assure you, you are radiant," Hades said, leaning down to kiss her tenderly. She was lovely; snarled hair, puffy eyes, creases from the pillow only added to her beauty. He stored the image away for later. He didn't want to forget what she looked like on the first morning here. _Her first morning here? Fuck, how did you not realize that earlier? You should stay, you should definitely just call off work_.  
  
"Liar."  
  
"You wound me, goddess," Hades teased, clutching his heart. "You are bravest, smartest, and yes – the loveliest creature I have ever encountered."  
  
"60%."  
  
Hades laughed softly. "At the risk of losing that generous scoundrel decline, I have something to give to you."  
  
"Hades, I don't need anything."  
  
"You need a phone." Hades pulled out a new white phone from his pocket. It was the latest Model of the Pomegranate XI. "I had all your contacts and photos transferred onto it. I also had some numbers blocked, just in case anyone undesirable tries to contact you."  
  
"I could have just used my old phone." She frowned at the phone he still held out for her.  
  
"Your old phone could barely keep a charge and had a broken screen. I replace my phone every month because I'm an asshole and drop them constantly."  
  
"You know, they make cases," Persephone teased, sitting up in bed, holding the blanket tightly around her.  
  
"I designed the phones to be sleek, why would I put it in a case?" He grinned.  
  
"You could be more careful."  
  
"I could," he conceded, "but that's a lot more effort than having I.T. send up a new phone."  
  
Persephone pulled a face and stuck out her tongue, making Hades laugh again. He took her hand and placed the phone into her palm. "Please, take it."  
  
"Yes. Thank you," Persephone said, setting it on the bed next to her and reaching out to hug him. "Where are my puppies? I don't like sleeping alone, and I'm still tired."  
  
Hades whistled and held his finger to his mouth, asking her for silence. He could already hear the pack stampeding through the house, but he didn't know how acute Persephone's hearing was. He watched her with a grin, studying her face as he waited for her to recognize their approach. She smiled when she heard the dozens of paws clambering through the upper hall. Cerberus led the pack, as always, with the rest of the dogs falling in behind him with Mushroom at the rear.  
  
Persephone patted the bed and made a face when the dogs sat still and waited patiently for Hades to give them permission to jump on the bed. "As much as I appreciate obedient dogs, we will have a problem if I don't get my cuddles."  
  
"You heard the lady. You don't want to be on the receiving end of her wrath. She is very wicked," Hades said to the dogs laughing.  
  
"I didn't hear you complaining," she said with a coy smirk.  
  
"I was forbidden to speak," he said, pulling her onto his lap still wrapped in the blanket. Persephone blushed and hid her face. _Is she embarrassed?_  
  
"Don't get used to it. I was just flustered, and you smelled really good."  
  
"I'm sorry I wasn't a good listener last night," Hades said, brushing a stray hair out of her eyes before kissing her brow. "Can I make it up to you tonight? We will talk—really talk about everything."  
  
"Can we have pizza for dinner? It's been almost a year. I _need_ pizza."  
  
"Absolutely. Anything else?"  
  
"I still need my puppy snuggles, and maybe Cerberus can stay until I wake up?" she asked, batting her eyelashes up at him. Cerberus took the opportunity to make his desires known by jumping onto the bed and thumping his tail, looking guilty with a small whine. Persephone slid off Hades’ lap and laid back down, holding her arms out for the Guardian of the Underworld.  
  
"I see how it is. I'm officially second fiddle to my oldest companion," Hades said in mock outrage. He patted the bed for the other dogs to climb up and helped Pomelia.  
  
He wasn't actually upset with Cerberus, the opposite, in fact. It was clear that the dog recognized Persephone for what she was, a destined queen. She had mentioned that Cerberus had visited her frequently when she lived in Olympus, and he had also been the one to alert Hades that Persephone was on the beach the night she caused a riot. Hades felt certain that Persephone had likely been in danger during each of those visits, even if she hadn't been aware of it herself. Cerberus was no ordinary dog. He was created to protect the Gates of the Underworld, Hades himself, and eventually his Queen.  
  
"Don't be jealous. You're still my favorite immortal in the house," she said, dodging Russel kisses.  
  
"Just in the house?"  
  
"Stop being a butt or I wont be able to go back to sleep and you’ll be late for work," she said, Hades barked in laughter.  
  
"A butt? I've been called many things, but never a butt."  
  
"Maybe not to your face!" She giggled. "Yours is pretty cute, though."  
  
"My butt or my face?"  
  
"Both, I was talking about your butt, though. You should take off your jacket before you leave the room, that way I can get a good look at it."  
  
"Demanding." He grinned as he shucked off his jacket and slung it over his arm.  
  
Hades kissed Persephone good-bye and got up to leave. "Slower," she said, and he slowed, adding a touch of swagger in his step. He laughed softly, hearing her giggles. "I love you!"  
  
"Love you too, Sweetness," he said over his shoulder.  
  
Hades smiled the entire drive to the office, laughing at her wicked ways. Gods, he had to be the luckiest being in creation.   
  
Aster was surprised and then disapproving as Hades walked through the outer doors of the 99th-floor lobby. She followed him into his office with a humph before speaking. "I didn't expect you in today, Your Majesty. Honestly, I already rescheduled your day. You should go home."  
  
Hade turned around, glaring down at the nymph. She was more than competent at her job, but frankly, she’d hung up on him last night, and the way she was speaking to him was more than a justifiable reason to fire her on the spot. "I have other work to do."  
  
"That can wait. Look, I told you last night, Persephone is my number one priority, and last night she discovered the truth. Don't you think she needs someone to be with her?"  
  
It took longer than it should have for Hades to register what his PA had just said. "What do you know about the _truth_?" Hades growled, closing the door behind her.  
  
"I'm not at liberty to say."  
  
"Are you forgetting that I am King?"  
  
"No, and for what it's worth, I think you're a good king. Unfortunately, I don't know what _you know_ , and therefore I cannot tell you what _I know_."  
  
"What can you tell me," Hades asked, pinching the bridge of his nose and walking to his desk to sit.  
  
"I assume she knows about the pomegranate tree because she came to the Orchard last night. I know about a prophecy. I know she will get her justice. I know that she has a destiny that directly impacts the Underworld," she said as she picked up the drosera plant on his desk and cooed at it before pinching off a blackened leaf. "This needs more sunlight; I will order a lamp for it."  
  
"You know she will be Queen one day?"  
  
"Of course. I was born from the same tree. Under different circumstances, technically speaking, my sisters and I are the closest she has to family, which is why I am concerned for her."  
  
Hades clicked his jaw. He really didn't feel like having to justify his own inadequacies to her, but he did anyway. "I have a lot of shit to process, and so does Persephone. I don't think that hovering over her and treating her like something fragile will help her. Nor do I have the temper or patience today to deal with your insubordination. If my day is clear, have the library send me problematic scrolls."  
  
Hades spent the day brooding over scrolls and worrying about all the things he should probably tell Persephone. Two thousand years was a long life, and how was he supposed to know what would be vital for her to know in the beginning. One thing was for sure, she would want to know more about the Isle of the Blessed, and who could blame her for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I love your kudos, comments, and feedback.
> 
> Stay tuned to the sexy companion series. Oh la la, has some steamy content for you.


	34. Family Dysfunction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zeus being Zeus. Hades tastes ichor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this chapter went from filling in a small gap between 33 and 35 into the longest chapter I have posted. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> PhantomPhoto is the Olympian equivalent of SnapChat.

\Hades was ready to call it a day when Zeus strode into the room, looking self-righteous. "When's Pinky arriving, big brother?"  
  
" _Persephone_ arrived yesterday," Hades said, looking up from the scroll he had been examining.  
  
" _Really_ ," Zeus said, exaggerating the word. Hades knew damn well that Zeus already knew she was here. "And where is the lovely goddess now?"  
  
"I'm not keeping tabs on her," Hades said dismissively. He did know where she was or assumed, but he wasn't sure of the game Zeus was playing.  
  
"How is she?" Zeus asked. Hades was taken aback. It wasn't like Zeus to actually ask about someone's well-being.  
  
"She is adjusting to being back."  
  
"You misunderstand me, brother. I want to know how she is," Zeus said, lewdly humping the air to make his point.  
  
"Don't talk about her that way," Hades growled, rolling up the scroll and setting it back in the unread pile.  
  
"Oh c'mon, are you really going to keep pretending that you're not frolicking in the gardens of spring?"  
  
"I do not, nor have I ever, frolicked."  
  
"Right, but you're fucking her. I need the deets," Zeus plopped down into one of the plush leather arm chairs in front of his desk.  
  
"The deets? You know you sound like an asshole when you stay stupid shit like that?"  
  
"Stop being a holdout. I know you've been visiting her. What's the deal?"  
  
"I am not a holdout, I just don't plan on sharing anything in regards to Persephone with you. Other than to tell you that we are together."  
  
"About time! Why you sent her away, to begin with, is beyond me. You should have just taken her as a bride last year when I suggested it," Zeus said flippantly, pulling out his phone to check a new PhantomPhoto from a scantily clad nymph.  
  
_As if I would take his advice on that!_  
  
He couldn't help the nervous bile that churned at his brother's marriage. His mind swam with images of countless dinner parties, birthdays, and holidays with Zeus and Hera. As memories of the endless fights and shuns threatened to take hold as anxiety, he felt a new possibility take form. It gently blew through and quieted the cacophony of dysfunction in his thoughts, soothing him like a balmy May breeze. The possibility of a future shared with Persephone tenderly washed over centuries of resentment and conflict. He was abruptly torn out of his momentary peace when Zeus turned his eyes towards him seriously, seeming sobered by a new thought. Apparently he was done sexting his latest sidepiece. Hades braced himself for whatever new level of intrusion came next.  
  
"Demeter is going to murder you when she finds out."  
  
"Demeter knows. All things considered, she took it in stride," Hades ran his fingers through his hair.  
  
"That's a surprise. She fucking hates you, especially with all the shit she said about you after you sent Pinky away. Careful brother, those two goddesses may still be scheming."  
  
"What's that supposed mean?"  
  
"Well, they already plotted to hide Pinky's little temper tantrum. All I'm saying is, I wouldn't put it past Demeter to have her seduce you just to get her back here."  
  
"Demeter wouldn't do that, she tried to force her into Hestia's group of virgins," Hades disagreed. He wasn’t about to let Zeus get into his head.  
  
"They kicked her out! We both know that Demeter uses every asset at her disposal to get what she wants. She plays everything close to the vest. I still have no idea how she even managed to grow a goddess. You don't know, do you?"  
  
Hades opened his mouth to say something, he wasn’t even sure what he would say when Zeus yawned and said, "Never mind, I don't actually care."  
  
"Fuck off."  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
"You're wasting my time. I understand you don't work, but I do."  
  
"Only because you micromanage everything. Honestly, brother, you'll never find time to screw your mistresses if you don't learn to delegate," Zeus said.  
  
"Persephone is not my mistress," Hades argued.  
  
"You are screwing her! I knew it! Is she a screamer? I bet she's a screamer."  
  
"Get the fuck out," Hades said, point to the door.  
  
"What? You've been after that ass for a year now. Was it worth it? Personally, I wouldn't put that much effort into getting my dick wet."  
  
"Shocking," Hades deadpanned. "I would have never guessed. You don't understand basic relationship nuances like respect and commitment."  
  
"Oh fuck you, you sanctimonious blue bastard. I've been married for 1500 years, you've been dicking a b-rate goddess for less than a year."  
  
"If you ever disrespect her again, I will fucking end you. Are we clear?"  
  
"Which one?" Zeus asked with a smug smile that made Hades' blood run cold at the implication. Hades and Hera had stopped having an affair decades ago, and they had always been very discrete. There was no way that Zeus knew.  
  
"Are we done here?"  
  
"Sure, why not. I came to invite you and Persephone to dinner on Sunday. Hera has a bug up her ass," Zeus was on his phone again, eyes bulging momentary and a mischievous smile crept over his face.  
  
"Fine. I'll see you Sunday evening."  
  
"Uh, no. Still got family brunch," Zeus said, using his fingers to zoom in on the picture he was looking at, licking his lips.  
  
"Fuck off, I'm not spending all day with your stupid ass!”  
  
"Too bad for you, because it's happening. Your place?"  
  
"No. I will think of something else. Something you'll be sure to hate.” If Hades was going to be forced to spend all day with his brother, he would make sure they both suffered for it.  
  
"Fan-fucking-tastic! See you then," Zeus said and sauntered out of the room.  
  
Hades groaned and slid down in the chair, massaging his temples. Sunday brunch had been a 500-year long tradition that Hades hated. The number of times they had been banned from establishments was staggering. He knew that this tradition is where the sordid reputations came from. Hades knew that his reputation was not unwarranted, but he was tame in comparison to his brothers. Gods, how much of that did he need to tell Persephone about?  
  
Hades checked his watch and decided to call it a day. He'd be home earlier than he had expected, but hopefully, Persephone would be pleasantly surprised.  
  
He arrived home after stopping at the market to pick up the items on the list he had made the prior evening. It seemed like a century ago already. So much had happened since those happy hours of domesticity. He banished that thought as he juggled several paper bags between his arms as he fumbled to open the door. The house was flooded with the smell of honey and roasted walnuts, it smelled delicious, and his mouth watered as he followed his nose to the kitchen.  
  
"It smells amazing in here. Is that – Do I smell – Did you make – Baklava?" Hades said, sniffing the air as he set down the shopping. He smiled when he spotted Persephone and went to her, lifting her off the floor and kissing her deeply.  
  
Persephone broke away from his passionate embrace and said, "Hello to you too! I did make baklava." Hades kissed her again, feeling dizzy with desire and happiness. "Also, we have company."  
  
Hades froze, staring down at Persephone with wide eyes. She laughed softly and pointed behind him, still wrapped in his arms. Apparently, whoever was here, she wasn't embarrassed by his enthusiastic greeting. He turned around to see Eros jauntily waving from the table. "Hiya Hades, it's been a while."  
  
"Eros, I didn't see you there," he said, setting down Persephone, who had dissolved into giggles.  
  
"Really? I hadn't noticed." Eros said, waggling his eyebrows.  
  
"Don't be a pest, or I won't send you home with treats," Persephone threatened playfully.  
  
"Doll, I wouldn't dream of eating your baklava. Your baklava is all for BBD," Eros said, winking at Hades.  
  
"BBD?" Hades asked.  
  
"Sweet Gaia, don't ask. Eros, get out before I turn you into a fern.  
  
"I'd have to be something sexier than a fern, that's really low. At least turn me into an aubergine plant," Eros said as he stood to leave. "Buy guys, enjoy the baklava."  
  
Persephone followed Eros out of the room, hissing at him under her breath. At the same time, Hades started looking for the source of the delicious smell. Persephone returned, blushing a deep magenta and looking flustered.  
  
"No baklava until after dinner!"  
  
"No baklava, or _no baklava_?"  
  
"If you start with that double entendre, you will get neither. I have heard it all from Eros. Why I chose a walking innuendo for a best friend is beyond me.”  
  
"He did drug you and placed you in a stranger's backseat the first time you met him," Hades had not found it in him to forgive Aphrodite or Eros for that stunt.  
  
"And look how well that turned out for us," she smiled, floating just above the ground to kiss him.  
  
"Point taken," he said against her mouth, lifting her slightly and setting her on the counter. "What does BBD stand for?" He laughed as she groaned, hiding her face in his chest. He knew exactly what it meant, including a few variations.  
"I'm going to kill him!"  
  
Hades continued to tease her, enjoying her blushes and the playful way she swatted him. The playful banter continued as they took care of the groceries, made dinner, and ate. Warm happiness settled over him, and he found himself smiling more than he had in months. Persephone had a way of brightening every room she was in. Her laughter was infectious, and he found himself falling in love with her all over again. _Gods, is this what it's supposed to be like? Will it always be like this?_  
  
After dinner, they made their way to the living room, snuggled on the couch, talking about plans for the weekend, including dinner at Zeus and Hera's house. "What are the chances they are going to fight at the dinner table again?"  
  
"100%."  
  
"Great, that won't be awkward at all. Can we come up with a secret word or phrase to let each other know it's time to skedaddle?"  
  
Hades laughed. "Skedaddle?"  
  
"Are you making fun of me?"  
  
"Yes. Yes, I am. Who says skedaddle?"  
  
"I do!" She said, grabbing a pillow and thumping him with it on his chest. "What's our secret code?"  
  
Hades hummed, thinking. "Russel needs his ear drops."  
  
"Ok, can they wait until we come up with a code?"  
  
"What? Oh. No, he doesn't actually need ear drops right now. That can be our code. He gets chronic ear infections, so it's something we can use in any situation. If either of us needs to leave, we can say Russel needs his ear drops."  
  
"You are a dork," she laughed and thumped him with a pillow again.  
  
Hades laughed with her and reached for her, tickling his fingertips across her belly, then up her ribcage. She squealed and tried to squirm away down the couch but he followed, hands sliding back down to her belly to wiggle his fingertips. Hades reached up one hand and tickled her neck beneath her chin as he said, "I will have you know, Little Goddess, I am the original dork. And you aren't one to talk."  
  
Persephone cackled as he continued tickling at her neck, pretending to push him away as she did. The dogs barked and yipped, causing a more considerable ruckus than Persephone until she squeaked, "Ok, enough. Stop."  
  
Hades pulled his hands away, settling one arm along the back of the couch behind her and resting his other hand on his thigh. Persephone was breathless from laughing and Hades grinned down at her, his dimples popping on his cheeks. She smiled up at him, eyes sparkling. She leaned in to kiss him and Hades reached out, grabbing her by the waist to pull her into his lap. Assuming he was reaching in to tickle her again, Persephone squealed and jerked in his grip right as they were about to kiss. She overbalanced and smacked her forehead into his mouth.  
  
"Ouch," Persephone laughed, rubbing her forehead. Hades tasted ichor in his mouth as he held his hand to his lip. "That really hurt. Are you ok? I thought you were going to tickle me again."  
  
"I'm fine, are you ok?" Hades said, smiling, the pain was already going away. She looked adorable, with her worried pout as she nodded. Hades held up his hands in surrender. "No more tickling. You asked me to stop, so I stopped. Come here."  
  
Persephone obliged, climbing into his lap and snuggled into his chest. Hades wrapped his arms around her, lacing his fingers together, and kissed her forehead. "Are we ready to talk?"  
  
"Of course, Sweetness," Hades said, feeling his stomach plummet. He knew they needed to talk, but he also dreaded what could happen if she wasn't able to understand.  
  
"This morning you said you blocked some numbers. I didn't think any of it at the time, but who's numbers did you block?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What should Hades do for family brunch? 
> 
> Your feedback fulfills me, let me know your thoughts.
> 
> Big thanks to WhiskyWrites for helping me with the tickle scene and Emma_ciao for coming Zeus sexting and Hades nervous bile ruminations. You guys are the best!


	35. Where to Start?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone tells Hades she is a proponent of demokratia, the early Greek democratic government.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sensitive readers should be ok with Apollo being mentioned (63 words). Just in case **Trigger Warning**

"This morning you said you blocked some numbers. I didn't think any of it at the time, but whose numbers did you block?"  
  
"Apollo, reporters who've had the nerve to call me, Minthe, Thanatos, and Thetis," Hades said dismissively. Persephone wondered why reporters would attempt to call her.  
  
"Who's Thetis?"  
  
"She's Zeus' PA, Minthe's friend, and one of the people who turned you in."  
  
"I'm assuming Thanatos was part of that group too. He never liked me, I don't even know what I did. Did you know that he cut in front of me and took my spot on the train that morning before I ended up in Tartarus?" Persephone shivered involuntarily at the memory of Tartarus. "He had wings! If anyone should be mad at the other, it should be me."  
  
"Thanatos is an asshole. He's got a huge problem with authority. He sees nepotism everywhere because, as an Underworld God, he's barely given any respect by Olympians. Mortals are afraid of him. He's got a bug up his ass over this demokratia notion the mortals are toying with."  
  
"He wants a government ruled by the people?"  
  
"Yes! Can you believe that?"  
  
"Honestly, I don't think he's wrong,"  
  
Hades massaged his brow while shaking his head in disbelief. Persephone had wondered if she should have kept that to herself, and then Hades started to laugh. Hysterical laughter escaped him as he spluttered nonsense until finally, he managed to say, "I can read the headlines now. Persephone, future Queen of the Underworld, wants to abolish the monarchy – Gaia, don't let Zeus hear you say that."  
  
"I think everyone has the right to have a say in how things are run. Zeus just throws his weight around when he feels like it, and other than that, he lets the Olympians run things. Shouldn't Olympus be able to choose who the Olympians are? Instead, we leave it up to whoever is most popular with the mortals, but even that is skewed because Zeus' favorites have the most presence in the mortal realm. It's a farce,"  
  
"What do you think about how I rule?"  
  
"I don't know much about how you rule your citizens. You know I don't approve of how you force shades into eternal servitude," Persephone answered honestly.  
  
"What should I have them do? Let them walk around the Underworld with nothing to do? At least they are occupied."  
  
"I don't know. Can't you make a new area for the people who've had a good life, somewhere they can be with their loved ones again?"  
  
"Do you know how complicated it is to invent a new region? Not even considering the immense amount of magick needed to bring a place like that into existence, deciding who would be worthy of such a place is a whole different challenge. What is a good life? What crimes or faults would prevent a person from going there? If you want them to remember they have loved ones, there needs to be a way they forget those who do not gain entry…" Hades trailed off, shaking his head. "It's just not practical."  
  
"Not practical, but it's possible. It could take years – maybe centuries to figure out how to do it. I'm just suggesting that it could be done, and you haven't. What happens when there are more shades than the Underworld Corp. has jobs to give them? Eventually, you will need a place to keep them."  
  
"Barring a mass die-off, we have centuries before we are at capacity. And the tech industry is booming. By the time we near our current limit, there would likely be an increased demand for new workers."  
  
"Slaves," Persephone corrected.  
  
"Workers," Hades repeated, doubling down on his choice of word.  
  
"Ok, Your Majesty, do your workers get paid? Do they have shelter? Do they get breaks? Do they get to see their loved ones who are also dead?" Persephone said, challenging him once again.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then, they’re slaves!"  
  
"They don't even have the capacity to want anything different," Hades said, attempting to justify his treatment of the shades. He was beginning to look uncomfortable.  
"Because you took away their agency."  
  
"They barely had freedom when they were alive."  
  
"And that makes it acceptable to turn them into a cog in the machine now that they are dead?"  
  
"No, allowing them to forget about their life is a mercy."  
  
"To keep them compliant! To keep them from questioning you," Persephone said, visibly irritated. "In Asgard, most of the spirits know who they are and what their lives were. They work, eat, and drink. In Valhalla, they spend their nights in an endless party; they spar with each other and reenact the battles they fought."  
  
"I should have never sent you to Asgard," Hades said, massaging his brow again.  
  
"Why? So, I wouldn't question you?" Persephone crossed her arms.  
  
"No, that came out wrong. I like that you challenge me," he said, and Persephone understood that he meant that.  
  
"Why did you send me?" She asked, wanting to know. Eros had said that it was because he wanted her to be queen, but Hades hadn't known yet that she would be.  
  
"You know why I sent you, we’ve talked about it."  
  
"Freya being the leader of an afterlife had nothing to do with your choice?"  
  
"It did not escape my notice that it was an added educational opportunity," Hades grimaced.  
  
"See, it wasn't that hard to almost admit you had ulterior motives," Persephone said with a smirk.  
  
"Are you upset?"  
  
"No, I love it there," Persephone said, picking at the hem of her skirt, suddenly feeling bashful. "I'm really going to miss it if I decide to stay here."  
  
"If?" Hades asked, taking her fidgeting hand in his. "I thought you agreed to stay."  
  
"I did, and I want to stay – I just also want to finish my degree."  
  
"You can get your degree here."  
  
"I know, but my credits won't transfer. I would have to start all over again, and here I don't get work-study credits. I don't have my scholarship anymore," she said, withdrawing her hand from his and folding it in her lap.  
  
"The money isn't important." Hades looked at her incredulously, and she rolled her eyes.  
  
"The money is always important, Hades. I don't want you to pay for everything. That's not fair to you, and it also would make me feel obligated to you. Do you even realize how guilty I felt about accepting the TGOEM scholarship? At first, I was relieved to have the opportunity to be going to school, but then I felt like I had no choice but to join them. And then, when I no longer qualified because of Asspollo, I felt so much guilt. I don't like feeling that way."  
  
"Asspollo?"  
  
"That's what the Valkyrie started calling him. It stuck." Persephone blushed.  
  
"It's brilliant. I'm incredibly disappointed in myself for not coming up with that," Hades said, continuing to laugh, and Persephone threw a pillow at him. "I'm serious. That is brilliant. As for money for school, the Underworld pays for two years of college for every high school graduate. One more student isn't going to make a difference."  
  
"You do that?" she asked, and Hades nodded. "Why?"  
  
"Why not? It benefits everyone. I have the money. I need educated employees, and OU expects Underworld citizens to pay twice as much for tuition because they don't live in Olympus, which is bullshit, but I don't run the place," Hades said, taking Persephone's small pink hands into his again.  
  
"What I am trying to say is if you want to go to school, then go. If you want to have your old job as a shade coordinator, it's yours. If you want to open a bakery or a flower shop, I will support you. If you want to open a women's shelter to help victims of violence, I'll help you write the proposal. If you want to work in the Orchard with the nymphs, I'll call Ascalaphus. Whatever you need to do, do it. This is your life. Take control of it. Just please, do not feel that you are indebted to me in any way."  
  
Persephone was touched by his sincerity. It made her feel better about wanting to stay. "What do you think I should do?"  
  
"Stay and find your place, your passion. You like lists; write a list of everything you would like to do. Pick one, pick five, or spend a century doing everything. You have all the time in the world. you're immortal. Use it," Hades said, bringing her hands up to his lips to kiss them. "What I don't want you to do is to cram yourself into a box you think you are supposed to be in. Fuck that! Choose your path. It's not up to me, but do it here."  
  
"I love you," Persephone said and reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissed him tenderly.  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
"I think I would like to have my old job back while I figure things out," Persephone said and gasped as Hades kissed the part of her neck that always shivers down her spine. "I don't want to just hang out here all day while I figure it out."  
  
"You can start next Monday," Hades whispered as he gently nipped at her ear. Persephone leaned into his caresses while also hunching her shoulders.  
  
"That tickles!" She squirmed in his lap, eliciting a growl of pleasure from him. "Why not this Monday?"  
  
"Your week will be busy enough without work. I seem to recall you intend to claim justice. That should be your focus this week."  
  
"I guess you're right. I should have looked for Hilda and the others today," Persephone said, pushing away gently and sitting back down next to him. Hades looked disappointed but quickly regained his composure.  
  
"Why didn't you?"  
  
"To be honest, Hilda doesn't like you, and after last night I didn't want to be around her while I'm upset with you," Persephone said, looking away again.  
  
"Are you still upset with me?"  
  
"I don't know," Persephone said, blushing deeply as she remembered how she made him listen to her last night. "Nothing new, but one scolding doesn't make everything better. There is plenty we still haven't talked about."  
  
"Where do you want to start?"  
  
Persephone took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Why did you help my mother?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated.
> 
> I've had requests from some reader to write in one-shots from my universe. Some of these are:  
> Persephone and Thor interacting  
> Lessons with Freya  
> Battle Boast in Valhalla Mead Halls  
> A chapter I wrote but never posted where Persephone and Hades play Obols (quarters) with some of the Norse Gods  
> Big Idiot Squad Sunday brunches
> 
> Also open to more suggestions. I have a lot of head canon. If you wan to see more content, let me know!  
> Journey to Asphodel is coming to a close, but there is a possibility of further stories if you want them!


	36. Isle of the Blessed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger Warning: Mention of Abortion**
> 
> Skip this chapter and read endnotes if you take issue with Chapter 27 or the shared history between Demeter and Hades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gefjon - Norse Goddess who ruled an afterlife for virgins. The unborn and children would go here, as well as any adult who died a virgin.  
> Fulgurite -Natural tubes, clumps, or masses of sintered, vitrified, and/or fused soil, sand, rock, organic debris and other sediments that sometimes form when lightning discharges into ground.  
> Isle of the Blessed - An area of the Underworld, sometimes synonymous with Elysium. I have also read some interpretations that suggest it was a section of Elysium. In my story, Elysium does not yet exist, and the Isle is the afterlife for those who died “pure”.

"Why did you help my mother?"  
  
"She asked," Hades said grimacing.  
  
"You could have said no."  
  
"I could have. I should have." Hades sighed, looking ashamed. "It was not my proudest moment. I was not the same person then as I am now, and that's not an excuse. I was a monster. I had no issue with locking up every single fucking Titan that fought against us. I was the one who suggested that we imprison the ones who had helped us. _My own mother!_ And that was before she cursed us. I was bloodthirsty for revenge and pissed at Zeus for granting pardon to those who fought with us."  
  
"When Demeter asked for my help, I thought it was a great way of undermining him. I regretted it immediately. It's actually the first thing I ever regretted. I was at least 500 years old and had never felt guilt or remorse before that moment. But when I removed it –"  
  
" _Him_."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Dodona said, Zeus' first-born son. Him not it," Persephone said, annoyed at his flippant use of the word _it_.  
  
"I'm sorry, you're right," he said, bowing his head and breathing slow, deliberate breaths. "He had no true form; he was a ball of light, a pure soul. Demeter regretted it too, and we tried to undo it, but it had already been done. That's when we went to Rhea, to ask for her help."  
  
"She wasn't able to help?"  
  
"No. There was no fixing what we did. Demeter left for the mortal realm, where she stayed and helped the mortals learn to farm. I was left to give him as much dignity and reverence as I could."  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"I encased the soul inside of a diamond and buried him the way the mortals bury their dead. At first, in the Orchard because it was the only sacred place in the Underworld and far from Tartarus. That never felt right, though, so I went to Asgard to speak with the Leaders of the afterlife regions and to ask for their advice. As you are aware, the Asgardians are not completely immortal like we are. They have had Gods who have died, and I already had an established bond of trust with them."  
  
"It was Gefjon who suggested that I create a region of the Underworld for pure souls. That way, something good could come out of something bad."  
  
"What happened to the pure souls before you created the Isle?"  
  
"I don't honestly know. The souls of children are intangible; they have no form, only light. Adult shades have bodies, noncorporeal, but they have arms, legs, and faces. I suspect they probably returned to Chaos, but I don't know."  
  
"That's horrible and very sad." Persephone frowned. "What happens to them now in the Isle of the Blessed?"  
  
"They await reincarnation. If a person has had no opportunity for evil, they can have a second chance at life. It's not a perfect system, but I think it does provide more hope. Where are you going?" Hades asked as Persephone got up and started to walk out of the room.  
  
"I'm getting my coat. I want to go to the Isle – unless it's like Gefjon's Region. Can we go there?"  
  
"Yes, I'm the King. I can go anywhere."  
  
"And you will be able to take me?"  
  
"I don't think there will be a problem," Hades said with a strange look on his face. Persephone wondered what he was thinking, but that could wait for another conversation on another day. Right now, she wanted to see the Isle of the Blessed. "You won't need your coat, though."  
  
Persephone took Hades’ outstretched hand, and before she knew it, she was blinking from the sudden change in light. It was warm, like a mid-spring afternoon. There was an absence of sound. It was as if this place existed outside the scope of what could be heard. Hades squeezed her hand, and she looked in his direction, still trying to adjust to the brightness. He smiled at her sadly.  
  
They were standing on the bank of a lake with a small island in the center. Everything seemed to be made of light in the way that ice reflects the sun in prisms of color. The brightest concentration of light seemed to be coming from the center of the island. Persephone looked back at Hades, pointed to the island, and shrugged, miming the question in her head. Can we go there? Hades nodded, and Persephone held up her hand, asking him to stop and pointed to herself and again at the island. She wanted to go alone. Again, he nodded and let go of her other hand.  
  
Persephone floated to the edge of the water and slowly crossed the lake, heading towards the small Isle. She noticed the light change as she got closer, brighter, but somehow more natural. In the center of the Isle was a large glass tree. It reminded her of something she had seen as Hera and Zeus' house. Hera had called it a fulgurite, or lightning glass. Sometimes, if lightning struck a beach or a sandy area, the heat from the bolt would cause the sand to melt instantly, taking the shape of the forked lightning. Persephone had found it beautiful because of its resemblance to a tree. This one was more beautiful than the sculptures that Zeus had made his wife. Persephone understood that this was her brother's existence: a heartbreakingly beautiful combination of lightning and plant. Zeus and Demeter.  
  
Persephone returned to Hades on the other side of the lake, and together they traveled home. The change in light was extreme, and it was an odd sensation to be able to hear again. She felt different too. She realized that she’d felt an overwhelming sense of peace in the Isle of the Blessed, as if all her troubles had gone away. Now she was back in the real world, a place full of conflict and complications. A part of her yearned.  
  
"Can you forgive me?" Hades whispered.  
  
"I'm not the one you should be asking for forgiveness," Persephone responded, unsure whom he should be asking. Gefjon had been right. The Isle of the Blessed was needed here. Persephone only wished that it hadn't come at such a high cost. "Has my mother been there?"  
  
"No. It wouldn't be possible."  
  
"Why?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not plan on taking the topic of Demeter’s abortion or Hades involvement in it any further than this chapter. This chapter is mainly meant to provide more context, and sensitivity. I have no religious affiliations and I am a strong supporter of a woman’s right to choose. I did not stop to consider that some readers would take exception.  
> My main goal in this chapter was to show that Hades regretted what he did. While also highlighting that he was a much different person 1500 years ago. Additionally, I wanted people to see that the Isle of the Blessed was a beautiful and peaceful place. The God-child soul was not just a brick laid in the foundation of the Isle, it is not a battery.


	37. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades and Persephone return home from the Isle of the Blessed. Persephone is feeling overwhelmed and Hades attempts to make her feel more at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It turns out that I suck at chapter descriptions, and summarizing important topics from previous chapters that are mentioned in current chapters. I could use help with chapter summaries, if you're interested find me on the social media platforms listed on my profile.

Hades brought Persephone back from the Isle of the Blessed, arriving in the living room where they had started. He closed his eyes, adjusting to the shift in light. It had been nearly a thousand years since he had been there, and it was brighter than he had remembered. Persephone stood in front of him blinking tears away. He was filled with a new wave of shame and guilt.  
  
“Can you forgive me?” he asked softly. The question sounded too loud after the prolonged absence of sound. They had been gone for hours; it was easy to lose track of time in a place devoid of all worries. Even Hades managed to find peace with himself there, which was one of the biggest reasons he never went. That, and the crushing guilt that followed.  
  
“I’m not the one you should be asking for forgiveness,” Persephone whispered, looking pensive. “Has my mother been there?”  
  
“No. It wouldn’t be possible.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
_Truth, she asked you for the unvarnished truth._  
  
“We are the only two people in existence who can. Apart from the souls that wait there.” Hades wrapped his arms around her.  
  
“What makes me different? How did you know I would be able to get there?” she asked as she leaned her forehead against his chest, taking fistfuls of his shirt in her hands.  
  
“Same reason you were able to enter Tartarus unaccompanied, because you are Queen.”  
  
“I’m not though, not yet.”  
  
Hades placed his hands over hers, guided her arms around him, and lifted her chin gently so that she was looking up at him. “Do you think that places that operate under the laws of Higher Magick make distinctions based on time or technicalities?”  
  
“No,” she answered, shaking her head and closing her eyes. “I’m not ready to be queen.”  
  
“I know,” Hades said, and she flinched. “I don’t mean that I don’t think you're ready. I understand that you do not feel ready. Will you tell me when you are ready?”  
  
“Yes,” she said and pulled away. “You kept that from me.”  
  
Hades frowned and mussed the back of his hair. “It hadn’t come up yet. I didn’t know you would want to go there. I supposed I should have guessed.”  
  
Persephone walked towards the kitchen and filled the kettle as she asked, “Is there anything else I may be able to do as presumptive queen?”  
  
Hades wondered what else she might be able to do. “Cerberus is already attuned to you, but I don’t know how much of that has to do with the prophecy. He did attempt to attack you last year.”  
  
“That’s a bit extreme. My good boy wouldn’t hurt me. Isn’t that right?” She cooed at Cerberus, scratching his neck with both hands, and he morphed into his three-headed self for extra scratches.  
  
“Might be a good idea not to tell any shades to go to Tartarus. Or tell them to do anything. I don’t know if you will have the ability to compel them. Like I said before, it mostly has to do with the pomegranate seeds and the bident… but you are technically part pomegranate,” Hades said, trailing off. _That was something to consider further_.  
  
Persephone hummed. “Why didn’t the shades on the beach listen to me then? They tried to attack me. In fact, they did attack me.”  
“None of those shades had eaten a seed. Like I said, I don’t exactly know how the shades will respond to you. If you’re up for another trip, we could head to Tower 1 and find out,” Hades offered.  
  
“Not tonight. I think I’ve had enough adventure for the day. I’m feeling overwhelmed again, to be honest. I know we said we would talk tonight, but I need to process all of this first.”  
  
“Of course. How about I go upstairs and draw a bath for you? You can finish making your tea and come up when it’s ready.”  
  
“That sounds like it’s exactly what I need. Thank you,” she said and hugged him.  
  
Hades went upstairs and started the water. He cursed himself for not asking how warm she liked her bath and hoped it wouldn’t be too hot. He added a couple handfuls of plain bath salt to the water and regretted not anticipating her needs because he had neither bubble bath nor those balls that made baths fizzy. He never messed with any of that nonsense; if he was in the tub it was to soak away muscle aches.  
  
“What’s the grumpy face for?” Persephone asked from the bathroom door. She was carrying a large mug of tea, a book, and a bundle of clothes.  
“I’ve failed. I have no beautiful lady bath products,” he said with a self-deprecating shrug, and Persephone laughed.  
  
“ _Beautiful lady products?_ Gaia, Hades,” she giggled and conjured flowers in the bathwater. “For future information, I only use unscented soaps. I don’t like the way fragrances mix with my own smell.”  
  
Hades left her to her bath, proceeding to the office where he spent some time checking emails. Mostly, he was lost in thought, worrying about all the ways he could fuck this up. It had been centuries since he’d lived with a woman, and he couldn’t bear the idea of failing Kore the way he had failed Leuce. He knew he should probably tell Persephone about her, but she hadn’t asked about anyone from his past. _Does that mean she doesn't want to know?_  
  
After a while, he went downstairs to let the dogs out one last time before bed and to clean up from dinner. Hades had always been a very clean person. He liked order and predictability. He also found doing housekeeping relaxing after long days at the office. Especially when he found himself unable to sleep, he'd spend the night dusting or vacuuming. Hades looked around. The house could use a good cleaning. Mushroom and Big John were beginning to shed their under coats, and clumps of downy fur could be found in most corners. He made a mental note to call the groomer tomorrow.  
  
When he was finished, Hades went upstairs to find Persephone already in bed, reading a book and wearing a warm pair of pajamas. It took no time at all to realize that this was a sign that there would be no fooling around tonight. There was no denying that a part of him was extremely disappointed by this, but he was not a cad and could control his desire.  
  
“Should I wear pajamas too?” Hades asked. Persephone glared at him, and he held his hands up in surrender. “I’m just asking. Last night you said it was against the rules. You can wear what you want, but I want to know what I should wear.”  
  
“What do you normally wear?”  
  
“Usually, my boxers.”  
  
“I bet you usually walk around the house in nothing but your underpants,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes and then gasped in a delight. “Oh my gods, you do!”  
  
“And a robe,” Hades admitted as he began to undress for bed.  
  
“Don’t change on my account.” She grinned, arching her eyebrow suggestively.  
  
“What about you? What do you normally wear around the house?” Hades asked, climbing into bed.  
  
“Before or after leaving the mortal realm? Big difference,” she said, snuggling up against him as he climbed into bed.  
  
“What are you most comfortable in?”  
  
“As little as possible while still being warm.”  
  
“Please, tell me more,” Hades said with a rakish smile.  
  
“How about this: I’ll show you if you turn the heat up in the house.”  
  
Hades was halfway down the hallway before Persephone had a chance to laugh. He turned the thermostat up, before returning to bed where she was still in giggles.  
  
“You could have waited until morning,” she said, rolling her eyes.  
  
“Nonsense, I want you to feel comfortable at home.”  
  
“Is that it? Or are you hoping I’ll get into the habit of walking around without clothes?”  
  
Hades chuckled and kissed her forehead. “An added benefit only, I assure you. What kind of king would I be if I let the most important goddess in all the realms be cold in her own home?”  
  
“Is this my home?”  
  
“Yes. If you want it. We could build a new home if you prefer. Or buy a penthouse downtown. I’ve been here decades. It’s about time for a change.” Hades would build her a palace if she wanted one.  
  
“That’s not what I meant. Am I a guest here, or do I live here? What are the rules of your house? Do I get a key? There is a lot to talk about,” she said, looking up at him with a worried look. Hades could have kicked himself in that moment.  
  
“I have a key for you, and tomorrow we can call the security company to get you a code for the security system. As far as rules, I don’t really know if I have any. I’m a very tidy person, but you seem to be as well. You treat the pack with love and respect. Umm, don’t mess with the way the cupboards are organized?”  
  
Persephone tittered and said, “We might need to compromise on that one. Flour and sugar should be next to each other. Alphabetical is not very practical; there are better ways of organizing.”  
  
Hades attempted to be stern, but his amusement showed as he said, “My one rule, and you break it. Fine, you can reorganize the cupboards, but I get the right to overrule it. Maybe your method is also flawed.”  
  
“I doubt it,” she said with confidence and kissed him on the cheek before settling back down into his arms. “I made a decision about something,”  
  
“What’s that, Little Goddess?”  
  
“I don’t want you to tell me everything all at once. The last few days have given me whiplash. Super highs and then horrible lows. I don’t like the way that feels.”  
  
“I don’t like that either,” he said and kissed the top of her head. “It doesn’t feel good for me either.”  
  
“I was thinking that, as long as it doesn’t impact me directly, I’d rather things come up naturally. You’ve been alive for a long time, and I think it would be too much for both of us if you were to tell me everything all at once.”  
  
“Ok.”  
  
“I don’t want you making decisions for me though. I don’t want you to keep new things from me, especially where I am concerned. Secrets are ok, but please don’t lie, and don’t make decisions for me or about me.”  
  
“That sounds fair,” Hades said, yawning. Snuggling with Persephone either made him painfully aroused or extremely sleepy. Thankfully his body was behaving itself at the moment. “That reminds me, you should talk to Aster and the other nymphs soon. She implied she knows things we don’t.”  
  
“Ok,” Persephone said, responding to his yawn with one of her own and nestling deeper into his chest. “I will see if she’s available for Sunday brunch. It could be my new tradition, Sunday mornings at the Orchard while you are out gallivanting around the realms with your brothers.”  
  
“We don’t galavant,” he said indignantly, and she harrumphed. “We don’t! We drink a lot, then my brothers make some sort of ruckus, and then we go home after we get kicked out. Now, I would call it gallivanting if we proceeded to another establishment.”  
  
“Whatever you say, dork,” she planted a kiss on his chest where her mouth was and added, “I love you.”  
  
“I love you too, Kore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your feedback sustains me, please leave your comments below. 
> 
> This story is getting more difficult to write as I get closer to the end. Keep me motivated, by telling me what you liked and what you would like to see.


	38. Where I wanna be (pt 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning shenanigans and they talk about money. Hades gets hustled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from a song again. Heavenly by Cigarettes After Sex  
> If you haven’t heard that song, I highly recommend listening to it. 
> 
> It turns out that I suck at chapter descriptions, and summarizing important topics from previous chapters that are mentioned in current chapters. I could use help with chapter summaries, if you're interested find me on the social media platforms listed on my profile.

Persephone woke the next morning as the little spoon, thoroughly aroused and irritated that she had worn clothes to bed. Stripping her pajamas off, she woke Hades with kisses to his neck and chest until he too was awake. They made love languidly and wordlessly in the moon-lit bed. That was until Persephone’s second orgasm, after which she became frantic with desire. She lost herself in the moment, giving over to hunger and forgetting all of her inhibitions. She was free, reckless, demanding, and Hades responded gainfully, bringing her to climax over and over again until finally she begged him to finish. Only then did she feel satisfied. She wondered if that was a normal or if it was because she was a fertility goddess.  
  
“I thought I was supposed to be the one with an insatiable appetite.” Hades chuckled breathlessly as they clung to each other. He was soaked with sweat and looked more disheveled than she had ever seen him before.  
  
“Are you complaining?”  
  
“Not at all, Little Goddess. You are glorious, and I am unable to convey how good it feels to serve you.”  
  
Persephone hummed happily. “Keep spoiling me like that, and I may never let you go back to work.”  
  
“A sacrifice I am willing to make, I assure you.”  
  
Persephone snorted and reached up to kiss him softly. “I need a shower. You want to join me?”  
  
“Very much. I’ll join you in a minute. I should let the dogs out before they piss all over the floor,” he said, putting on his boxers and kissing her forehead.  
  
Persephone pouted as he left. She felt bad about forgetting about the dogs and made a mental note to give them extra cuddles today for her lack of concern while lost in passion. Hades joined her as promised, and to her delight, they made love again with her pressed against the wall of the shower and her legs wrapped around his waist. Today was turning out to be a delightful day.  
  
The rest of the morning carried on in a similar fashion. Persephone discovered that Hades had a cool-down period of approximately 20 minutes, which was the same time to complete most morning tasks. Breakfast followed by kitchen sex. Washing dishes, then upstairs to change the sheets on the bed… and there was no point in making the bed just to mess it up again. Honestly, it took several attempts before they successfully made the bed.  
  
“Should we do something today?” Persephone asked as they headed downstairs for lunch.  
  
Hades chuckled. “What do you have in mind, Sweetheart?”  
  
“I should probably find Hilda, Kara, and Mist,” she said as she conjured vegetables for a salad. “Do you want a salad?”  
  
“A small one. I think I’ll also cook a steak. For some reason, I am famished this afternoon,” he said with a grin and a wink. “Do you know where they are?”  
  
“No, but Kara planned to stay with Hermes, so at the very least I should be able to find out if she has a phone by now. Do you plan on going to the office today?”  
  
“No. I usually spend a few hours answering emails on days I don’t go into the office though. Please don’t stay home because of me if you’ve got something to do.”  
  
“I’ll make some calls after lunch.”  
  
“When are you going to go visit your mother?”  
  
Persephone pursed her lips. She didn’t know what she would say to her. “I’m not sure. I’ll see her on my birthday at the very least. I’ll be working in the mortal realm after all.”  
  
“Will you be staying with her?”  
  
“What?” Persephone asked, confused.  
  
“Isn’t spring a full-time thing? Seems like that would take a lot of time. I didn’t consider it when I offered you the shade coordinator job.”  
  
“I’ve been thinking about changing how I do spring. I thought I would do things in stages instead of all at once. I don’t want to spend three entire months in the mortal realm. I also have to check on the groves and orchards frequently throughout the year. It’s one reason we didn’t live in Olympus. But the thing is, I don’t have to do something all the time.”  
  
“Demeter has been doing all that since you’ve been gone. Can she help lighten your burden?”  
  
“She could, but I don’t want her to,”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Because I’m not a child, and I will not follow her orders anymore. I need to talk to Aster, but she implied that the flower nymphs are mine. If that is the case, I have plenty of help. Assuming momma will keep them in her employ and let them work for me. I wish I had an income to pay them myself.”  
  
“You should have a substantial income from Spring. Don’t you receive any income from fruit?”  
  
“No, why would I?”  
  
“If you're responsible for making them produce fruit, you should be getting income. In olives alone you could easily be the fourth wealthiest deity in the realms. If Apollo gets shares from all plants because he holds Helios’ chains, certainly you should too.”  
  
“I knew I should have taken econ and government my first semester. I didn’t know any of this. How do you?” Persephone asked and immediately realized it was a stupid question.  
  
Hades laughed.“I helped write the laws, Darling.”  
  
“Right, well, I guess finding a lawyer should be on my to-do list,” Persephone said, pulling out her phone and adding it to her ongoing list of things to do.  
  
“An accountant and a personal assistant wouldn’t be a terrible idea.” Persephone looked at him, exasperated. “I mean it. If you're serious about taking over your domain completely, you need support. Starting an enterprise from scratch is hard work.”  
  
“Gods,” Persephone groaned, “that sounds like a nightmare.”  
  
“That’s why you should get a personal assistant first.”  
  
“Maybe I’ll poach Aster from you,” Persephone teased.  
  
“Please don’t. She’s rude, but she’s the best PA I’ve had in centuries,” Hades said, laughing. Persephone took her phone out again and made a few more notes. They sat down to eat, continuing their conversation. “Once you get a lawyer, have them contact Aster so she can schedule a negotiation for compensation from the Orchard. It’s a good place to start since I won’t argue with you over percentages. Then you’ll have the capital for whatever you need.”  
  
“Hades.” She groaned. “I don’t need your money.”  
  
“It’s not my money if it's owed to you. The nymphs who work there are yours, and they receive profit shares. You should too. This has nothing to do with us; it’s business and politics.” Persephone rubbed her temples in frustration. “You don’t have to do any of this. I was just pointing out that you have a significant income available to you. Honestly, I should have realized it earlier. I didn’t even think about last night when we were talking about paying for school. Talk to you mom; for all we know she has been getting the revenue from Olympus, but I know neither of you are receiving compensation from me.”  
  
“Why start now?”  
  
Hades shrugged. “You don’t have to, but stop being stubborn about money. Ascalaphus is the highest paid minor deity in the realms for running the Orchard, and he doesn’t have any power associated with trees or flowers. He’s just a caretaker.”  
  
“But he’s working there. I don’t understand why I should receive money just because I make flowers. The nymphs have done just fine without my mother’s or my intervention.”  
  
“I think you just like being stubborn,” Hades said with a wide smile.  
  
“Oh, I’m the one that’s being stubborn?”  
  
“Yes, you are. I’m just explaining how most gods and goddesses get their income.”  
  
“Then why don’t the psychopomps get shares from shade production instead of just being employed by Underworld Corp?”  
  
Hades opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Finally, he laughed. “Because Thanatos is a lazy asshole with a bad attitude.”  
  
“Maybe he’d have a better attitude if he was treated with the same level of respect for his elevated position as I am. His job is significantly more important than mine. You wouldn’t have shades to feed seeds to without him. If he’s lazy, make his shares directly proportionate to his intake. I bet he’d work harder if his income was commission based.”  
  
“I’m regretting this entire conversation,” Hades said, shaking his head. He was still smiling, and Persephone knew she was winning.  
  
“Good,” she said and laughed. “I’ll agree to taking pomegranate shares on the condition that psychopomps are compensated similarly. They work a lot harder than you give them credit for. I worked with Thanatos, and he was a jerk, but he worked hard.”  
  
“You drive a hard bargain, Little Goddess. I think you just hustled me again,” he said with a grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your comments, kudos, and feedback! 
> 
> Help me stay motivated while I work towards the end of this story. Things are about to get wild.


	39. Where I wanna be (pt 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades shaves, and he does not sparkle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It turns out that I suck at chapter descriptions, and summarizing important topics from previous chapters that are mentioned in current chapters. I could use help with chapter summaries, if you're interested find me on the social media platforms listed on my profile.

Hades headed down the stairs, wondering how in creation he was so lucky. He asked himself that every time he woke up next to Kore, but this morning had been spectacular. He knew that fertility deities could be a lot to handle, but he would do his very best. She seemed sated at the moment.  
  
The dogs were all waiting by the back door, looking anxious. Hades was unsurprised to see a small puddle by the door and a very guilty looking Pomelia. “Oh, Meli, I’m sorry I made you wait so long,” he said, reaching down to pet the smallest dog. “Momma kept me busy this morning. Although we should probably keep that name between us—at least until she uses it herself.” He opened up the back door, letting the dogs to their business and cleaned up the piss.  
  
While the dogs were outside, he refilled the water bowls and measured out food into each of the labeled bowls, leaving Pomelia, who needed watching to make sure she ate all her food. She was still too small for her age. He let the dogs inside after a few minutes and picked up Pomelia and her food dish and headed back upstairs, depositing her in the master bedroom. He had considered shutting her in the office, but felt a twinge of guilt at locking her away. He didn’t want her to think she was being punished for having an accident. He knew that she wasn’t a puppy, despite looking like one, but she didn’t have the same control as the other dogs. He doted on her.  
  
Hades entered the steam-filled bathroom and shut the door behind him before heading to the sink. Pulling out his shaving implements from their places, he hummed happily while he stropped his straight razor, priming it for a shave.  
  
“Are you going to join me?” Persephone asked from within the shower. He couldn’t see her but could make out a pink blur through the glass walls.  
  
“I just need to shave, Sweetness.”  
  
“Ohhh, can I watch?” She asked, opening the door, causing a cloud of steam to escape the confines of the shower.  
  
Hades chuckled to himself. “If you would like to. It’s not that interesting, to be honest.”  
  
“Maybe not to you, but I’ve never watched a man shave before. For all I know, it’s the most erotic thing in the world,” she said, shutting off the water and wrapping herself in a towel before hopping on the counter.  
  
“Erotic? I doubt that,” he grinned, and his heart skipped a beat at the intent look on her face.  
  
“Tell me what you’re doing.”  
  
“Ok. Right now, I’m stropping the razor. I do this to keep it sharper, longer by buffing out all the small nicks in the blade. Hair is coarse, and it causes the metal to warp slightly, but if you want a clean shave, it needs to be flawless,” he said, continuing to move the blade up and down the leather strop pivoting on the back edge of the razor.  
  
“You make that look effortless,” she observed.  
  
“I’ve got lots of practice,” he said with a shrug and dampened the shave brush. He swirled the brush over the shave bar until the bristles clumped together and he grabbed his lathering bowl. Then he worked the soap into a thick foam by swirling the brush around the bowl and adding a few drops of water until it was the perfect consistency. He stole a peak at Persephone, who was watching him intently, before he applied the soap to his face with the brush. She giggled. “What?”  
  
“You look funny. It’s almost like you have a beard because the foam is the same color as your hair.” Hades had never made that observation before and smiled. He started to shave, following the long-standing routine he began centuries ago. Starting with his sideburns, followed by his cheeks, the sharp edges of his chin and down his neck.  
  
“You make a lot of funny faces while you do that,” she tittered as he contorted his mouth to get the best angle around his mouth. He grunted in reply, unable to do much else while holding a lethal weapon to his face.  
  
“Silly faces are necessary for a good shave,” he confirmed when he finished. He rinsed off the blade and splashed water on his face, clearing off most of the residual soap and smiled at her. “I told you, not very erotic.”  
  
“I don’t know,” she said, biting her lip. “I enjoyed watching, but I always find you sexy. It may have nothing to do with shaving, and more to do with the fact that your strutting around in nothing but your shorts.”  
  
Hades barked with laughter and kissed her deeply. “Did you finish your shower, Little Goddess?” He growled in her ear. She shook her head and dropped her towel, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He laughed again, shimmying out of his boxers the best he could while holding her with one hand and carried her into the shower.  
  
Hades had been dying to get her into his shower for nearly a year now. He had always been a fuck you senseless pinned against the wall kind of being and the shower was one of the best places to accomplish that task.  
  
Hades continued to have a splendid morning. They accomplished breakfast and light housework between his many attempts to appease Persephone’s awakened sexual appetite. After finally making the bed he said, “if we keep this up, I will need to take time off from work.”  
  
“Ok. Surely we’ll be back to normal in a few days.”  
  
Hades laughed. “Zeus and Hera’s honeymoon lasted 300 years.”  
  
“Really? Well, that won’t work for me. Should we actually do something today?” Persephone asked as they headed downstairs for lunch.  
  
“What do you have in mind, Sweetheart?” Hades asked. He couldn’t help but laugh. She was so damn willful. They made lunch and ate while talking about things she needed to do today, and Hades broached the subject of money. And how she had the ability to have a significant income if she wanted. He realized that it entitled her to a share of the profits from Underworld Corp. Ascalaphus received a generous income for his work caring for the Orchard. Certainly it made sense she should too. He knew that she didn’t feel comfortable spending his money, and he knew that she was stubborn enough for it to always be a barrier between them. However, if she were to take what they owe to her from all four realms, she would have her own fortune.  
  
“I’ll agree to taking pomegranate shares on the condition that psychopomps are compensated similarly,” she said, laughing at his insistence. “Thanatos works a lot harder than you give him credit for. I worked with him, he was a jerk, but he worked hard.”  
  
“You drive a hard bargain, Little Goddess,” he said smiling. Then it occurred to him she just played him. “I think you just hustled me again.”  
  
“You got sloppy again,” she said with a shrug. “I don’t like being given special treatment because of my associations, and this is obviously important to you. If you're willing to pay all the gods in your employ the way you want to pay me, then it’s not special treatment.”  
  
Hades wasn’t about to point out to her that agreeing to her terms to not give her special treatment, was in fact a different type of special treatment. But that seems like a discussion that would lead nowhere remotely close to getting his way. He would come up with a compensation model that would encourage Thanatos to work harder, while also appeasing Persephone. To make everything more fun, he’d include a bonus of last year’s soul intake and give him the news on the first day of spring, just to be a dick. Would Thanatos refuse the money if he associated it with Persephone? It would entertain him to find out.  
  
“You’re scheming,” Persephone said, pulling Hades out of musings. “You are! What are you scheming about?”  
  
“What makes you think that?” He asked, attempting innocence.  
“Because you got this gleam in your eye and you went sparkly around the edges,” she said, pointing her finger.  
  
“I don’t sparkle!” Hades said, indignantly.  
  
Persephone rolled her eyes. “Ok. I won’t call it a sparkle. Shimmer doesn’t seem any better,” she propped her chin on her hand and batted her eyelashes exaggeratedly. “What do you call it?”  
  
_A shameful lack in control. The monster in me coming out. The face of my father._  
  
“Going dark?” He said. Persephone pouted, losing her playful attitude.  
  
“Well, I think that’s stupid,” she paused. “I don’t know what you were thinking about, so I guess I don’t know if it was dark, but I don’t understand why you think my abilities make me strong, but yours are something to be ashamed of.”  
  
“You have the power to create, I only have the power to destroy and conquer. Two things that are not pleasant or desirable.”  
  
“There are so many things about what you just said that are wrong.”  
  
“Like what?”  
  
“I can destroy as much as I can create. And you create, you can make gems as easily as I can make flowers. You can also heal what you’ve destroyed, I watched you put that reporter’s eye back. If you had only the power to destroy, that would have never worked. As for conquering , it’s a damn agreeable thing you are good at that. Otherwise you and your brothers would have never won the war, Olympus would still be ruled by the Titans and I wouldn’t exist. If people can’t see how beautiful you are just because you look like your father, then they are stupid too.”  
  
Hades didn’t know what to say. Several things crashed through his brain at once and when he finally opened his mouth he said, “I didn’t realize you knew that.”  
  
She shrugged and gave him a slight smile. “There’s a book in Odin’s library. It had illustrations of all the Titans. I was doing some reading on the war, and I saw him. I couldn’t tell how close the resemblance is, because it’s an illustration, and I thought it was you until I read his name.”  
  
Hades closed his eyes. He didn’t want to have this conversation, and he had an unexplainable need to hold her in his arms. As if she sensed that need, he felt her hand on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap. “How did that make you feel?” He asked quietly.  
  
“Sad.”  
  
_Of course, she would be sad knowing that the man she loved had the face of a monster and a tyrant._  
  
“It can’t be easy for you. Not just your appearance, but the fact that he is your prisoner when you used to be his. Do you want to know what I found the most interesting thing about you from reading the book?” She asked. Hades opened his eyes and looked into hers, trying to decide if he wanted to know. She answered without being asked. “How extraordinary it is that both you and Poseidon enjoy swimming after what you lived through.”  
  
_No, my love, you are what is extraordinary._  
  
“I had help,” he answered without thinking. Without meaning to, without warning he was drawn into long avoided memories of the beautiful white nymph and her magnificent shiny dark green hair that she always wore in braids. When he thought of her, she was always in the water. She would change the moment she was in water. Her dainty feet would elongate and her fingers and toes would web. Iridescent scales would cover most of her skin and she would reflect the surrounding colors, and when they made love, she would shimmer with his own cerulean blue, and he felt as though they were one being in those tender moments. The water wasn’t fearful when they were together. _I loved you._  
  
Persephone sighed happily and leaned her head against his shoulder, snuggling into him. Hades returned to the present with overwhelming guilt. _Gods, why are you thinking about her when you are holding Persephone? You are a fucking piece of shit!_ “I’m sorry.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
Hades scowled, completely disgusted with himself for even allowing himself to think about her. Doing it while with Persephone was inexcusable. “I was thinking of someone else when I have you. It caught me off guard.”  
  
“Maybe you should let your guard down more often. Then, you could tell me about her,” she said, and grew quiet and heavy. Persephone had fallen asleep before he could even think of how to answer her accurate conclusion. He smiled to himself, picking her up, and cleared the table before taking her upstairs. She woke when he laid her down on the bed with an embarrassed groan. “Did I fall asleep again?”  
  
“Yes,” he chuckled, crawling into bed beside her. All thoughts of his past, forgotten.  
  
“This is getting embarrassing,” she said, curling into his chest.  
  
“We’ve had a busy morning, Sweetness.”  
  
“You’re not falling asleep without warning,” she protested.  
  
“I’m not a fertility god,” he said with a shrug. “You should have seen Zeus when he was younger. He could and would fall asleep every time he sat down. It was nearly impossible to get the ancient laws drafted.”  
  
Persephone snorted. “You’re just trying to make me feel better.”  
  
“Maybe,” he kissed the top of her head. “Is it working?”  
  
“I’ll let you know after my nap,” she said and wiggled around until she pulled her phone out of her pocket. “But first I need to hunt down a Valkyrie.” Hades laid quietly while she made her call and successfully relayed information to Kara through Hermes. She settled back down after her call ended.  
  
“What would you like to know?” He asked after a few minutes, hoping that she had fallen back asleep.  
  
“What do you want to tell me?”  
  
“Nothing, but that’s not fair to you, and I rather you hear it from me than the Olympus rumor mill,” he sighed. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or burden you with any of my baggage. I don’t know what’s too much to say, or what’s not enough. I’ve never had this conversation.”  
  
“Was it Minthe?”  
  
“Gods no! Her name was Leuce.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for your comments, kudos, and feedback. 
> 
> Honestly, reading your comments keeps me motivated while I’m writing the next installment of the story. I am beginning to struggle as I am bringing this story to a close, and I hope to have it completed before Lore Olympus returns on August 2nd. 
> 
> Also, I did a thing and started a new story, so you will probably get 1 chapter a week instead of 2-4.


	40. Leuce and the White Poplar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades opens up about a part of his past.

"Her name was Leuce," Hades said, holding her tightly to his chest. "Did you know that Acheron is the name of the river, not the beach?"

"No," Persephone was confused by the abrupt change in conversation. "Are we still talking about Leuce?

"Yes, this is important," he said, carding his fingers through her hair. "Acheron drifts to the coast, then it winds through Oceanus until it flows into the Underworld. I use the beaches of Acheron as a waiting area for shades because it is the closest the Underworld gets to the mortal realm. There are few temples built to me in the mortal realm, one of those stands on the banks of Acheron near the city of Ephyra."

"Acheron River produces three different races of nymphs," he went on to explain. "Oceanus, Underworld, and Mortal. Each race of nymph is a little different from one another, but their source – their lives, derive from Acheron. Minthe was of the Underworld parts of Acheron, Leuce was from the mortal realm."

"Leuce was from the mortal realm? Does that mean she had flower power?" Persephone asked, and Hades laughed. She knew that most water nymphs could facilitate plant growth because the water was a vital part of life. 

"Not exactly. She was good with trees. White poplar trees to be specific. I met her over a thousand years ago by accident when I was visiting my temple. She was swimming in the river," 

Persephone could hear the smile in his voice. "I went to refill my wineskin with water because the day was hot, and she invited me to cool down in the waters with her. I declined."

"You declined? Hades," she groaned, exasperatedly, and shoved him. "This story was turning out very romantic, and then you blow it by being all – well – you."

Hades laughed and asked, "romantic? You want me to tell you a romantic story about a former consort of mine? You are a strange creature."

“I know you are romantic, and it was a thousand years ago," Persephone reached her free hand up to cup his cheek, looking into his eyes. "I know what happens in our story, I want to know what happened in her's. I don't think it's strange that I'm curious about a woman you loved before."

"You are an enigma, Little Goddess," Hades turned into her hand and kissed her palm before moving their clasped hands to their side. Persephone nestled back into his chest to listen. "Every time I went to the temple for 15 years, she would be there, inviting me to swim."

"For Fate's sake, Hades, 15 years?" _Gods, he's so extra. I guess I should be grateful he didn't take 15 years to talk to me._

"May I continue?" He asked, and Persephone snorted. "I wouldn't swim. I wouldn't even get in a bath. However, dumping buckets of water over one’s head as a method of washing was neither very effective nor dignified. Driven by both my aversion, and not a small financial investment in the R&D department, a solution was finally provided in which one could be cleansed without the necessity of submersion.” 

"Wait. The _shower_ was invented for you?"

"Yes."

"No wonder you like them so much," she giggled, and Hades tickled her, making her squeal.

"As I was saying – I wouldn't swim. Any time I had been forced to be in the water, I would panic. Flailing about like a drowning man, in inches of water. So I would sit on the bank, while she stayed in the water, and we would talk. We spoke of where she came from, what her sisters were like, her hopes for the future, but never about me. The memories were still too painful. However, over time, I started to feel the walls I so carefully constructed around my heart and my past begin to come down, brick by brick. Eventually,I finally found the courage to confide in Luce the real reason I don’t swim. You can imagine the surprise and indignation I felt when she said she had known the whole time. She had heard rumors that the fearsome King of the Underworld was afraid of the water," she could feel the anger or shame from memory vibrate within him.

"Yikes. Did you sparkle?"

"I don't sparkle!" Hades tried to act indignant but failed, and they both laughed. "To answer your question, yes, I did lose my temper and took my primal form. I don't know if it was because I was overwhelmed with angry embarrassment, or if the anxiety from my proximity to water played a part, but something within me snapped in that moment. I wanted, no, I needed to know if our shared time together was nothing more than a ploy to discover my greatest shame as I suspected it was. I wanted answers and I was going to get them, no matter my discomfort or fear and so, I went into the water."

"Now we are getting somewhere!" She wiggled her bottom, anticipating the good part of the story.

"You are entertained by this, aren't you?"

"Very. Less commentary on me, more talking about her," Persephone said, eliciting a groan from Hades. "What happened next?"

"My commentary is distracting?" He chuckled. "I took her home with me - to the Underworld. I had a castle on Acheron. It's still there, it's in ruins, but it's there."

"Will you take me there sometime?"

"Sure. It's not very impressive anymore, just a bunch of crumbling columns. Back then it was grand and ostentatious. There was a crew of shades that worked there, to clean and light the fires. I even had a butler. Gods I was such a pretentious asshole back then," he said. She hated how he always put himself down. Why would a god, and a king think so lowly of himself was beyond her.

“Hold on a minute,” Persephone held her hand up and closed her eyes. “Let’s recap-” she said, as she counted the facts on her fingers, “First: you get to know this pretty nymph on the shore, then, you finally open up to her and tell her your deepest secret, and it turns out she _knew the whole time_ , you go sparkly-” Hades opened his mouth to protest but she silenced him with a look, “...you follow her into the water, then you just _take her home?_ To live with you? What gives? How did you get there?” 

“When I finally caught up with Luce on the other shore, I forgot what I was even angry about in the first place. I wasn’t ashamed of my fear, because I knew I wouldn’t have to face it alone. It was Luce who did that for me. When I took her home I had pools and fountains built for her, imported water from the mortal realm parts of Acheron to fill them. She spent most of her day in the water, she would sleep in the water sometimes. If I wanted to be near her, I had to be in the water too."

“It must have been nice to associate the water with something other than him,” she appreciated this woman for finding a way to heal a part of him. "How long were you together?"

"267 years."

Persephone had not been expecting that. "That's a long time, why didn't you marry her?"

"She didn't want to marry me," he whispered, it was nearly a whimper, and Persephone's heart broke for him. 

Persephone changed her mind about Leuce. She had promised to keep an open mind, to not feel jealous of the woman. She wasn't jealous, she was furious with her. She realized that the silence had stretched too long, "Well, she's an idiot."

"She had her reasons. I didn't like them, but I understood them," Hades conceded and squeezed her tightly, kissing the top of her head. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Zeus would have granted her immortality if we wed. She said –" he cleared his throat. His voice was husky as he continued. "She said that she didn't want to live forever if she couldn't have a family."

"Oh, Hades, I'm sorry. That was very cruel of her," she snaked her free arm around his chest and squeezed him, planting a kiss over his heart.

"Was it?" he asked with a shrug. "I'm not sure that it was. I failed her in so many ways. I am trying so hard not to fail you, but I have. Repeatedly," his voice rasped again. " _If we can't_ \-- **If I can't** ," he cleared his throat. "You will grow to despise me too."

"I refuse to believe that, and it hurts that you do. And before you start brooding, that doesn't make you a failure." She sat up, feeling frustrated. "I'm glad she helped you find the water. I am thankful to her for loving you before I could. But I also would like to scratch her eyes out for hurting you." Hades laughed, sitting up with her. "What's funny?

"You," he smirked. Persephone glared at him, causing him to laugh harder. "You are this wild combination of optimistic sweetness and dangerously wicked. I don't know if I should worship you or fear you."

"How about both?" Persephone grinned. She had found the ability to embrace some of her darker self while in the Norse Pantheon. She would never be as violent or vengeful as the Norse, but she knew that she would never be content if she lived her life suppressing the darker side that yearned for freedom. Currently, her wicked side wanted to drag Hades to the pool and fuck him so thoroughly that he forgot all about that wretched nymph. The soft side of her wanted to know the rest of the story. "Where is she now?"

"On the bank of Acheron, as a white poplar tree."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your feedback sustains me, and keeps me writing the next installment of the story. Leave your comments below!
> 
> Also, I grow more powerful with every tear you shed.


	41. Mortal Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My next post will have the tag “canon divergence”. I will not attempt to weave my story into the comic, I may however take lines or interesting dilemmas and adapt them into this story. That being said, we are 2/3 way through this story, and everything I have been building towards will be revealed soon.

Hades found that he was a much friendlier person when he got a good night's rest. He never realized just how exhausted he had been, surviving off of a few hours of sleep a night resorting to copious amounts of caffeine. Even his eyesight improved within days of getting a full night's sleep.

He understood that having a gloriously powerful and infinitely sweet goddess at home helped.

They had found a comfortable routine. When Hades arrived home from work, they would spend at least an hour talking in each other's arms, facing each other with him sitting in cross-legged and her legs wrapped around his waist. He had come to think of this as their special space. Hades ordered two matching meditation cushions, a large blue one for himself, and a smaller pink one of Persephone. They moved their conversations to the library, which had become Kore’s favorite room to spend her time in. Holding each other, they talked about everything — _ok, not everything_ — there was still much of his past that he wasn't comfortable sharing. Still, they had a lifetime to talk about the terrors of his past. They did talk about what it was like in the early years of his reign. How he enjoyed the isolation and thrived in the difficulty of the task. The constant, demanding workload prevented him from getting stuck in his head.

"Stuck in your head? What does that mean?" She asked, as she leaned back slightly to look up at him.

"It's what I call it when the mistakes of my past take over my thoughts. When all I can do is dwell on the stupid shit I did or said, wondering how I could have avoided it." He laughed with derision.

"I do that too," she said softly.

"Really?" Hades said, surprised. He knew there was a sadness to her that simmered just under the surface, but he could not imagine what would cause her to ruminate on the past. There was no way this perfect creature could ever be at fault. 

"Well, I did massacre an entire village. That's not something you just get over," Persephone said, resting her head against his chest again.

"You likely will, it may take a century or more, but mortal lives are so—" Hades searched for a word that described what he was trying to say. "— _fragile_. Mortals can die from a paper cut or a sneeze. Some starve while others live in decadence and eat so much fat that their heart stops."

"What if the thought of forgetting is what causes me the most worry? I think you have lived among their dead for so long that you can't see how important their lives are."

"Their lives are less important than ours," he said bluntly.

"Why?" Persephone asked, exasperated. "What makes us more important?"

" _We are gods_. We are immortal, we will never die. We have magic, and control the world that they live in. I could make a volcano erupt and kill hundreds—thousands in the right area. Poseidon could create a tidal wave and take out the entire coastal population. Zeus could smite everyone for the fun of it if he felt like it. They would bounce back. Or Zeus would create a new age of men. Their lives are in our hands."

"You are kings, do you really have no love for the mortals you are in the care of?"

"They are dead, they are no longer mortal. Poseidon protects the mortals who travel across the sea if they make their sacrifices. Zeus is very fond of the mortals—mostly the women, but he loves to be worshiped."

"Is that really all that matters? To be worshiped?"

"That is what they were created for." He could see she was angry. He could feel her tense in his arms at his words. "Sweetness, I don't want to upset you. You are so lovely and so young. You have not lived long enough to see their purpose in perspective to your own existence. Even among the mortals, you would be seen as young. You _will_ learn to forgive yourself, I promise."

Persephone cried in his arms for a long time. Hades rubbed her back reassuringly. He wasn't sure if she was crying in relief or remorse, but he comforted her until the tears stopped.

Not all of their conversations resulted in one of them crying, but a majority did. Not in the way that left you sad but cathartic tears that felt like you were lighter afterward.

* * *

Hades got ready for the Panathenaea in the guest room, giving Persephone and her guests a master bedroom to prepare. Eros had shown up unexpectedly on Saturday afternoon with the mortal woman, Aphrodite had disguised as a nymph, and insisted that Persephone needed help getting ready. Persephone had protested but relented after an hour of persistence.

Hades was at the dining room table reading a newspaper to pass the time and he heard someone enter the kitchen. 

"Excuse me, your majesty?" Whispered the timid mortal woman in disguise.

"Yes," Hades said, looking up from the newspaper he was reading.

"Y-you c-c-can see m-me, c-can't you?"

She was trembling, her eyes cast down modestly, her head bowed in reverence. If Hades hadn't already known she was a mortal, her behavior would have made it obvious. "I do have eyes."

"S-sorry, of course," she trembled. "I was sent for drinks."

Hades took pity on the woman, he didn't enjoy scaring people, but he was so used to it that it became annoying. Still, this woman was a friend of Persephone's. "What's your name?"

"They call me Ampelus," she blushed.

"What's your real name?"

She looked into his eyes, he could see the terror, it was enough to overpower her fear of being in the presence of the King of the Underworld. "N-no one can know!"

"No one can know that you're a mortal, and yet you are here and plan to attend the Pantheasea tonight. At least four people will recognize you as a mortal, and you are afraid to give your name?"

"That's it, though!" she said, dropping to her knees and bowed like a worshiper. "No one can discover who I am, not even Eros!"

Hades folded his paper and placed in on the table, staring down at the woman in confusion. "You should sit at the table," he said, getting up and went to the sink to fill the kettle. "You have a tale to tell, beginning with your name. From there, you can tell me why Eros is unaware that you are human."

"Psyche, my name is Psyche," she said, as she took her seat. Hades listened to her story while he prepared the tea and gathered drinks he thought Eros would have actually expected. The tea was to give Psyche time to talk without causing suspicion from the two gods upstairs.

"Aphrodite is diabolical," Hades said, amused by the situation. "What is it you need from me?"

"Can you cast a glamour that other gods can not see through?" She said quickly and took a breath before continuing. "If Aphrodite can cast a glamour that has lasted a year, and no other god has seen me, I thought surely a king could cast one that would keep me hidden from the others."

"Why should I?"

"For love. I can see that you know what real love is. I love Eros, and yet I did a terrible thing to him, and I am punished for it. I have accepted my punishment. I will live my life alongside, unable to love him, unable to tell him who I am. I watch him mourn for me, unable to give him what he needs, unable to be who he needs me to be. I will see his heartbreak fade, and he will learn to love again. I will witness him forget me. I deserve much worse, but if I am discovered, he will know the deceit his mother played on him, and he will watch me die. I don't think he would ever recover from that."

Hades was not unmoved by her speech. Her reasoning was sound enough, but still, there was one glaring question. "If what you say is true, why would Aphrodite allow you to go? In fact, why did she let you come here today?"

"She is gone. Ares is missing again, and she is searching for him. The children are with her priestesses, I have no excuse not to go. Eros insisted we go to support Persephone."

"I will help, but you must know, I will not hide the truth from Persephone. If she asks me directly about either of your identities. I will not lie to her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments provide me with nourishment. Leave me your feedback.


	42. Holding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades and Persephone attend the 1501st Panathenaea Party in Olympus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, my little hiatus turned out to be a lot longer than expected. Hopefully you will not have to wait so long for the next installment. Thanks for sticking around, and I hope this chapter will live up to your expectations. This is about twice the length of my typical chapter. I think going forward, most of the chapters will continue to be longer than the early chapters.
> 
> * * *

Hades stood slack-jawed when she came down the stairs. Then suddenly, a broad smile passed over his face. Her own dress was from Asgard, hand-sewn by Frigg and her underlings. A soft blue gauzy number with multiple layers of sheer organza silk. The armored bodice stood out the most with steel strips sewn into the bodice, creating an armored corset that accentuated her hips and breasts while also providing protection in the event of a fight. It was surprisingly easy to move in, unlike other corsets she had tried on designed as a foundational garment. She had a full range of movement, the steel moving with her.  
  
"Wow, you are stunning," Hades said, crossing the room and leaning down to kiss her. He looked devastatingly handsome in a sleek black tux. A small pink pocket square artfully folded peaked out of his breast pocket. "Your outfit is missing something," he smiled ruefully as he tapped the hair comb he had given her last year. He pulled a slender black box out of his pocket with his other hand.  
  
"Hades," Persephone said, feeling anxious as she took the box. She opened it to find a beautiful tennis bracelet with small flowers and shiny diamonds. She knew they were diamonds because it matched the hair comb. "It's beautiful."  
  
She allowed Hades to place the bracelet on her wrist, and he pulled his wrist to his mouth, kissing her pulse point softly. It fit perfectly and sparkled. There was still a part of her that felt uncomfortable accepting such a gift. But after talking with Eros, she understood that this was one of the ways Hades showed his affection.  
  
"I think you are missing something too," she said, smiling and cupped her palms together and created a perfect pink rose with a small stem and floated up so that she was closer to his height so that he wouldn't need to kneel in his suit. She removed the jeweled lapel pin and used it to attach the rose to his jacket. "If I wear something of yours, I want you to wear something of mine."  
  
Hades' smile lit his whole face. His eyes glowed crimson as his pupils dilated, and he pulled her into a kiss. She had seen that look often enough to know what bubbled under the surface, and his scent grew stronger under the disguise of his cologne. Yet, the kiss was softer than any she could remember. Persephone realized at that moment just how important this night was to him. Tonight was the first of many events they would attend together. "Are you ready, Sweetness?"  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be."

  
As planned, the Valkyrie were waiting for Persephone and Hades to arrive at the Titanchay Event Center. Relief and trepidation washed over her when she spotted the three goddesses dressed in finery. Hilda had opted for a more masculine suit. Misty wore a silver dress that blended seamlessly with her pearlescent grey skin. Kara wore a crimson dress that complemented her own charcoal skin and matched her date, Hermes, well. Persephone had not seen their dresses before and assumed that they must have purchased them here in Olympus. She was surprised to see that the Valkyrie was not wearing their typical leather armor with their dresses. Even in Asgard, it was rare to see them without basic armor on. Persephone was uncomfortable knowing that she was the only one dressed for war.  
  
The five of them stood in the lobby, Persephone fawning over their dresses and stalling for time. Her nerves stretched thin. For some reason, all her confidence, all the surety she had been feeling, seemed to have evaporated.  
  
It was easy to feel strong and powerful around Hades. Among the Gods of Faulkner and Valhalla, she felt as though she belonged, and they respected her. Olympus was different. She had barely seen anyone since being back, and on top of it, most of them hadn't treated her with respect when she was there. In Olympus, she was seen as nothing more than a B-rate goddess with a criminal record.  
  
"Are you as nervous as I am?" Persephone asked Hades.  
  
He looked down at her with a dazzling smile. "To walk into the biggest party of the year with the most beautiful goddess in the world on my arm? Not even slightly."  
  
"I am feeling overwhelmed."  
  
Hades closed the small distance between them, folding his arms around her. She sighed happily, melting into his embrace. Things felt different when it was just the two of them, as if the rest of the world disappeared. He gently lifted her chin and Persephone looked up at him as he asked. "Do you want to go home?"  
  
"No. Let's go. The anticipation is killing me," she said, pulling away and tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow. Together they walked upstairs and entered the Olympian room arm in arm. Zeus approached them immediately, with a large jovial smile. Persephone swallowed back her dislike of the king. She hadn't had many opportunities to meet him, but he never made a positive impression on her. The things her mother had told her about the kings, seemed to be true when it came to Zeus.  
  
"Brother! Looking good, man," Zeus said, and punching Hades in the arm in what she supposed was a brotherly fashion. Hades looked annoyed by Zeus, and Persephone did her best to suppress her amusement. "Drinks, you two need drinks."  
  
They proceeded to the bar, and Hades ordered himself a bourbon and ordered Persephone something called a Hebe Temple. She took a cautious sip and was relieved to find that it was non-alcoholic and very sweet.  
  
"Persephone, it is so wonderful to see you," Hera asked, ushering her away from the Kings. "How are you adjusting to life in the Underworld?"  
  
"It's been great. It's been so long since I've seen the darkness." Persephone answered truthfully. "I've been spending most of my days in Olympus, though."  
  
"Hera and I have been talking," Trite said, pausing to sip from her martini glass. "What are your plans with Apollo?" Persephone's eyes went wide, and she felt dizzy for a moment.  
  
"I don't know what you are talking about," Persephone said, drinking from her glass and looking away from the queens.  
  
"I'll be blunt," Hera began, putting on an air of dignified stubbornness. "I had a vision involving you last year, and I did some sleuthing and decided the likeliest creep was Apollo. Since you are one of us, I've told Trite my suspicions, and we are going to help you."  
  
Persephone felt blindsided and looked around the room to see if they were in a place to be overheard. Trite seemed to have guessed her concern and smiled reassuringly. "Anyone who is within hearing distance of us can only hear the ocean."  
  
"Oh," Persephone said, feeling confused. She had met Amphritrite, the dinner party at Zeus and Hera's palace the previous Sunday. The two had been awkward and polite, barely exchanged more than a few words. Persephone had gotten the impression that Trite had been silently taking the measure of her. She gave Persephone the feeling that she didn't make any decision without considering the bigger picture.  
  
"I know you are planning something," Hera added, amusement evident. "The Valkyrie is a dead giveaway. They have you flanked like bodyguards. Are you planning on using them? Because I have to say that it is a risk."  
  
She knew she shouldn't be sharing information, but she couldn't help but feel solidarity with the queens. She would be a queen herself someday. She had to learn to trust them eventually. Besides, Hades never warned her about them, and indeed, he would have if there was a risk. They had talked at length about the politics and dangers around her plans for justice. He had cautioned the goddesses about who they could trust and who they shouldn't. Weighing everything carefully she decided denial was the best answer. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”  
  
"Just be careful. They are foreign, which means it could cause issues if they were to harm someone while here. Especially if that someone is that purple prick," Hera cautioned.  
  
"There is nothing to be careful about,” Persephone lied. The truth was, there was a part of her that wanted to confide in these women, but she still wasn’t prepared to risk her plans being thwarted. She had spent too many months making her plans.  
  
"Are you going to do nothing?" Trite asked with a scandalized look. "Hera, tell her what you told me."  
  
"I don't think that's a great idea," Hera said as she stared daggers at Trite.  
  
"What," Persephone asked looking back and forth between the two queens who were glaring at each other. "If it has to do with me, I have a right to know."  
  
"He's applied for a marriage blessing between the two of you a dozen times," Hera said, looking austere.  
  
Persephone thought she was going to vomit. "Excuse me? What does that even mean? I don't understand."  
  
"I only allow one blessing application a month from any deity. Usually, it is the men who come to me, but not always. Anyway. He's applied for a blessing every month since right before your trial. It began as an attempt to keep you in Olympus, and he doesn't take no for an answer."  
  
Nausea washed over her, and she felt dizzy. What had Hera seen, and what would have happened if Hera never had that vision? She hated the idea that Apollo had been attempting to marry her after what he had done. Would there have been a chance that she would have been forced to marry Apollo? She felt angry and scared as she sneered. "I could have told you that."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me that?" Hera asked and Persephone could have kicked herself for saying anything. "I would have protected you. I could have shielded you from the last year of exile. Honestly, I can't believe my dim-witted husband suggested it. I can't believe that Hades didn't put up more of a fight to keep you here."  
  
"It was Hades' idea," Persephone admitted, but it had never occurred to her to seek out Hera's help. She had been too afraid of Apollo and also scared that people wouldn't believe her.  
  
"What an idiot," Trite said, snorting into her glass. "That asshole is such a masochist. Honestly, what was he thinking? Sending you away? It was obvious to Poseidon that he was smitten with you."  
  
"I wanted to go. And I am happy I went." Persephone finished her drink, and like clockwork, Hades showed up with a new glass.  
  
"What conspiring are you ladies up to?" Hades asked with a grin.  
  
"Oh, you know, plotting to usurp the Kings so that Olympus can have a female revolution," Persephone teased, as she took her glass.  
  
"Poor bastards, they'll never see it coming," Hades replied, looking like the scoundrel she adored. "You, for one, will look glorious in a crown."  
  
Persephone blushed, suddenly feeling overheated and on the verge of combusting. Several butterflies erupted from her body to her embarrassment, and she felt her blood sing within her veins.  
  
"Well, you have my blessing," Hera said, surprising the two in the midst of their flirting. She laughed. "No rush, of course, but proactive blessings. Just try not to elope or something dramatic like that. I insist on a large wedding fit for royalty."  
  
Persephone blushed, feeling embarrassed but happy. Hades cleared his throat, smiling down at her, and reached out his hand to help her to her feet. Together they walked to the glass window that looked down at the rest of the party. "How are you doing, Sweetness?"  
  
"I'm ok, a little shocked. Hera and Trite have offered me their help if needed in handling the purple situation."  
  
"Did you tell them?"  
  
"No, Hera figured it on her own."  
  
"I should have a talk with her," he said, looking over at the spot where the queens were still sitting.  
  
"Don't bother. It's almost over. Soon we can get back to our normal lives. You can be the scary boss, and I will be the under-qualified intern who doesn't know how to use the programs," she teased. The plan was that she would be returning to the Library on Monday morning.  
  
"You'll figure it out soon enough. Before I know it, you will have found a way to make things 10 times more efficient," he said, brushing her hair back over her shoulders.  
  
"Only 10 times? Oh, yee of little faith. I will revolutionize how you determine shade processing. You will be amazed at what I can do."  
  
"I already am. If I ever forget, be sure to usurp me."  
  
"Oh, don't worry, I won't need to," she batted her lashes and pulled him down for a quick kiss.  
  
"You are a gloriously frightening woman, and I would never dream of crossing you," he laughed, looking down at her with a big stupid smile on his face.  
  
"Good, because I am fearsome," she said in a sing-song voice and growled playfully, curling her hands like a claw. They laughed together, and Persephone felt happy and safe again. She looked down at the party below as the younger gods and beings danced their hearts out on the dance floor. "I wanna go down there."  
  
"Then go, have fun," he said, holding his hand out for her glass. She smiled and floated up to kiss him briefly before hurrying off to join the party of her peers. She loved spending time with Hades, but there was still something about the music below that drew her. The Olympian Room was quiet and stuff. Everyone broke off into smaller groups where they discussed business or gossiped. She knew conversations were nearly impossible over the loud bass from the speakers and the throngs of dancing people below. Last year, it had been too much for her, but after spending time in the Norse Pantheon, she enjoyed being in the middle of revelry.  
  
The Valkyrie had already made their way to the dance floor long before her. Hermes and Kara were dancing wildly, sloshing her drinks as they attempted to hold them high enough to avoid spillage. Hilda and Artemis were close by, standing at a bar table, sipping their drinks and talking loudly. Persephone giggled as she saw Artemis hold her hands up about two feet apart and then mimicked drawing a sword from behind her back and swinging it. It was no surprise that the two goddesses were sharing hunting stories. They had a lot in common, and Persephone was happy to see that they were getting along.  
  
Persephone was heading towards them when she felt someone grab her upper arm in a tight grip, jarring her midstep and forcing her to turn. Panic and anger flooded her blood as she stared up at Apollo, his eyes glowing gold and bright in the darkness. The strobe lights from the party mingled together with his glowing eyes forced her back to the worst night of her life, and she felt her anger explode inside her. She glared at him, her eyes burning red, the vines twisting through her hair. In an instant, Hades appeared at her side, took Apollo's arm into a vice grip and hissed. "You will. Remove. Your hand. From the Goddess. Or I will remove it from your body."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, your comments and kudos mean the world to me!


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